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LOCAL OPTION CANADIAN RACING BILL TORONTO, Out., December 8. It is stated on reliable authority that Mr. Bowell will at the next sitting of parliament at Ottawa, on or about February 1, introduce a bill on horse racing. By that time the report of the commissioner. Dr. ltuther-ford, who lias just finished investigating racing ail over Canada, will be thoroughly digested. The idea is to have a referendum in each province as to whether that province wants racing witli betting or not. There is no law or objection to racing as racing, but without betting it is impossible to conduct racing. In view of the recent vote in Ontario favoring prohibition and as the same elements are opposed to racing and betting the outlook in this province at least is not rosy. The attitude of the Ottawa house on the prohibition question is a warning to racing lovers in Ontario. The members are ready to line up for about anything that will keep the church vote behind them and they will line up for this referendum plan in racing. It is the old story of "passing the buck" and unless tiie senate kills the idea it is an ugly one for racing in Ontario. A referendum on racing would probably go the same way as the prohibition referendum. And the ideas of the new attorney-general, Mr. Raney, are more than pronounced against racing combined with, betting. Dr. Rutherfords "report will be submitted when the house meets again, but as the racing problem is one for the Justice department it is probable that the Hon. Mr. Dohorty will introduce whatever legislation the government sees fit to recommend concerning it. Betting is a Dominion and not a provincial matter, but the government will likely continue to leave to the various provinces the issuing of permits for race meetings. In the past, in fact, the jtaxation of the tracks has been done by the provinces. In Quebec the assessment was 50 daily and in Ontario ,250 dully, plus, of course, the war tax.
