Thinks Wilcox Bill Will be Amended.: Toronto Paper Comments on Latest Development in Proposed Canadian Legislation., Daily Racing Form, 1917-02-06

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THINKS WILCOX BILL WILL BE AMENDED. Toronto Paper Comments on Latest Development in Proposed Canadian Legislation. Toronto, Ont.. February o. — The Toronto Star says: "The principle of the bill introduced into the House of Commons by Oliver Wilcox, M. P.. to limit the time in which horse races may be held in any one locality in Canada was approved by the House at Ottawa Saturday, when it was given its second reading, but it was pointed out by Premier I.ordcn, among others, that the measure, as it stood, was hardly workable. A committee appointed by thc Minister of Justice will consider what is necessary to be done. •The defect of Mr. Wilcoxs bill was in its indofi-niteness. He proposed to limit racing in "any city, town, or country, or where there are two or more race courses less than fifty miles apart," to fourteen days for the entire year. It was pointed out by Mr. Betsaaa that this clause would interfere with the tracks at Toronto and Hamilton, which were less than fifty miles apart. The multiplicity of tracks ::t Montreal and Windsor was responsible for the introduction of the bill, and Mr. Bsrdea said that it was evident that the Miller bill and the intention of Parliament had baeai outflanked. Some members laid the blame on the provincial governments for issuing new- licenses when they could have been refused. "The committee will consider the bill and report back to Parliament with a workable measure that it is expected will clear the situation. There are sc-r il courses suggested to discourage the American promoter who is being aimed ;u. and the most effective ens seems to be to call in and cancel all charters not now in operation: to plate a limit of seven or ten per cent on the earnings of any joekey club or racing association, the balance to go back to the horsemf n in increased parses or to the government for the encouragement of breeding: and to limit the racing in any one center to a reasonable time, according to population. The suggestion was made to prohibit racing entirely during the war. This lias not been done in Great Britain or in any part of the empire, though the English meetings have been necessarily curtailed owing to the lack of transportation facilities."


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Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800