THE TOTE ATTACKED.

Auckland Star, Volume XLI, Issue 273, 17 November 1910, Page 6

THE TOTE ATTACKED.

DISCUSSION IN PAHLIAMEHT. ; ALLEGATIONS OF TRICKERY. (By Teletraeh.—ParliamoiUry Reporter.) WETXINGTOX, Wednesday. A peculiar transaction in conmeotion with the totalieator was discussed at some length by the House yesterday afternoon, Mrs. A. Txeweek went to ■the Woodville races, and on the advioe of her husband went to the totalieator and asked for eight tickets on a certain horse (Ho. 4). She was given one £5 ticket on No, 4 and three tickets on No. 5, but she thought that all -were tickets on No. 4. The race was won 'by Mo. 5, and it was not until after the races were over .that she discovered she had three 1 tickets on the winner. Next day, on the advice of her husband, she applied for the dividend on the fhree tickets, bat was refused. .She therefore petitioned Parliament for relief. The petition came before the M to Z Petitions Committee of the House, which yesterday reported as follows: "in the opinion ot this Committee, Mrs. Treweek ie entitled to 6e paid the dividend on the three tickets in dispute by the WoodriUe District Jockey Cl-üb, and also that it be a suggestion to the New Zealand Racing Conference -that the New Zealand jockey clubs' rules of racing be so amended that consecutive numbers be provided on all tickets issued in any race in order to obviate the likelihood of similar mista/kee occurring in the future, and that a copy of thia resolution ibe cent by the Clerk of the House to the president of the Racing Conference."

Mr. Laureneon said he had no doubt at all that if the facts oi this caee had been before the Houee when the Gaining Bill was under consideration the late of the totalizator might have been entirely different. One of the arguments in favour of the totalisra-tor was its absolute honesty. The payment on these tickets was refused because they had not been presented the previous evening. if the horse she bad backed had won, the totalisator -would have refused to pay out on the three tickets given her by mistake. If that sort of thing was done by a supposedly high-class jockey club, what could ibe done by epeilers and racecourse gamblers. If, as soon as the race was run, Mrs. Treweek had presented the thxee tickete given by mistake on the winning horse the money would .have -been paid. He recommended the Woodville Jockey Club to the serious attention of the Board which, under the new Gaming Bill, will allocate totalisator permits, it ought to 'be a serious consideration for the Board as to whether it should license * club that did such tricks.

Mr. Pearce urged that the dub was not responsible ior the payment, as it had left the running of the machine to a Napier firm. There was a rule that no one could obtain payment of a dividend later than one hour after tite conclusion of the last race. In th» case the dub decided that it would not pay because the woman applied for ticketo on a horse that did not win, and only got tickets on the winning -horee by mistake. There were 37 -tickete propeTly issued on the winning horse, and on each of these tickets a dividend was paid. Mr. Forbes remarked that he voted for the retention of the totalisator in the belief that it was run in a fair and -boiia fide manner, but if the Racing Conference wanted to retain the totalisator it should ace that v«ry up-to-date machines were used.

Mr. T. E. Taylor remarked that our partnership with the totalieatar, a betting machine that had increased the nuiubtr of gamblers by at least 400 per cent, had resulted -in the Parliament of the country having to busy rteeM within a few ihours oi the close of tlhe session with the question oi a wager made by somebody with the totalieator. If the public could see what was going on that afternoon it would, be considered, come to the conclusion that the exhibition represented a ecandal in connection with Hie public affaire of tits Dominion, They were postponing important bilk 'because of the tatenoee of the I session, they were giving very scanty 'attention to other 'hille because ot the same reason, and yet here they were j all ibusy with a wretched dispute between a woman gamWer and a racing club that was apparently not carrying out its duties as far as the proper control of ibe machine was concerned. Be hoped it would not be long 'before the partnership between the country and the despicable machine was at an end. ,

Mr. Poland expressed tbe opinion thai I this was a scandalous attempt on toe part of the Woodville Jockey CJob to take advantage of someone in connection with the totaUsator, and it was a common practice when there was a favourite to issue all the available tickets lon that horse, and when any one wanted further tickets on that horse they issued tickets with another number. The recipient in many cases did not know what was being done, and the totaiisator scored. He strongly recommended the Minister of Internal Affairs not to issue a total isator license to the Woodville Club unless it paid out on these three tickets.

Mr. Buick thought it <wae a grave pity the money was not paid, and he hoped it -would still be paid for the honour at •the committee and everybody ebe.

Mr. Berries said be was a member of the Racing Conference, and he could assure the House that every endeavour would be made to carry out what the Committee had recommended. The effect of the inquiry was that the dub, which had always been well managed, had a legal bat not a moral claim to pay the amount, and the woman had a legal but not a moral chum to demand it.

Mr. Ross, as member representing the district in which the Woodville Jockey Grab holds its meetings, and he considered the club bad made a serioue mistake in allowing 'Mug matter to come 'before Parliament. Tbe I Racing Committee at Napier, however, was primarily responsible for having ■wrongly advised the Woodville dub.

The report of the Committee was adopted.