RACECOURSE TELEGRAMS

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 15, 18 January 1901, Page 2

RACECOURSE TELEGRAMS

DEPUTATION TO THE MINISTER

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, this day

A deputation' of stewards of the Wellington Ilaeing Club wailed on the Hon. .1. (!. Ward to-day with reference to their decision to auolisli Ihe Telegraph -Office; on the Course. -Mr McCarthy. (President) pointed out that the wires were used considerably for illegal betting, and the Club asked the Minister to assist in preventing it. He said that last season Ihe Club put through -(J.SO',OOO, and he was advised by the stewards that fully a similar amount was wired away. The Club was willing to allow press and supervised messages to be sent, and he thought if a Government officer was appohited for that purpose the trouble might be removed. Mr Ward, replying, said the President must be misinformed as to the amount wired off the course, ond no regulation could be devised which would,prevent persons sending money from the course. He had. he said, had a careful analysis made of telegrams sent from Hutt at'the last meeting, and this showed clearly that more than two-thirds were outside of betting purposes. This proved the telegraph on the course was of public utility, and if the stewards refused the Department the use of the office at Hutt, then, as Postmaster-General, he would see that an office was established as close to the course as possible. The stewards are reconsidering their decision.