THE TOTALISATOR

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXVII, Issue 9052, 24 July 1917, Page 7

THE TOTALISATOR

DISAPPOINTING RESULTS IN NEW SOUTH WA'CeST 1'1

The totalisator has been a great disappointment to the New Soutn \Vaios Government as a producer of revenue. When it was authorised Mr Holman estimated that, in the financial year ended on Saturday last, it would produce £200,000. Actually, the State has received from it £6346.

There are many explanations. The chief one relates to the A.J.O. Mr Holman reckoned that this big club would have the totalisator in operation at Randwick by Easter last. As a matter of fact, the totalisator has not been installed here yet. The building is well on the way to completion, and the machine may be in operation by September. The installation of the machines on the smaller racecourses has been similarly disappointing. Some of the clubs have had the machino in operation for months, but only in a few cases has it proved worth while.

The bookmakors here are a" powerful, and wealthy body, t exercising much influence, by the mere weight of tlie gold they own, and there is more than a suspicion that the active hostility of the s bookmaker nW prevented ; the' machine getting a fair trial, i Somo of the totalisators^ —as,' • for instance at Rosehill, tHe most important suburban club—are most inconveniently " situated, far from the-betting: ring. As a rule, the buildings > are --small and inconspicuous. Further, the accommodation is so inadequate that many would-be patrons cannot get near the windows. There have been raany. annoying delays in handling the cash and paying out the dividends; all sorts of little things have • happened to irritate and discourage the public.

Speculators who have closely followed the prices given'by the tptalisator and bookmakers on the same race declare that there is little between them. Sometimes the machine .is more attractive —sometimes the gentleman with the bag. ' Generally; the, bookmaker gives better prices for heavily-backed horses. There have been amusing instances of freak dividends on the machine. For instance, in the country, 12 investors on the machine, who backed a winner, were horrified when they did not get their money back. Investigation showed that there was only one other bet (of 10s) on the machine. At Rosehill the other day, a winner which started at 6 to 4. against in the ring was backed down on the machine to 10 to 1 on. The forvour with which the toto patrons, collecting their dividends, excommunicated the machine, scarcely needs description. Presently, no doubt, a Kerensky of the totalisator will axis© and clear a-way al? this muddle and confusion—both that which is involuntary and that which is deliberate, and then the State will eeb its revenue. The opening of the TCandwick totalisator ma,y make a difference.