GAMING ACT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 204, 30 August 1933, Page 8

GAMING ACT.

DOUBLE MACHINES. NEED FOR AMENDMENT. OPERATION OF BOOKMAKERS. The necessity for amending the Gaming Act in order that double machines can be operated, that bets can be telegraphed to courses and that dividends can be published, was stressed by Mr. E. W. Alison, president of the Takapuna Jockey Club, at the annual meeting this afternoon. Mr. Alison said that, notwithstanding that strong and repeated representations had been made to the Government for many years by the Racing and Trotting Club Conferences, Country Clubs' Association, and other bodies and individuals, to so amend the Gaming Act, 1908, that the statutory provisions which prevented the use of the double totalisator, the transmission of money for investment on the totalisator, and the publication of dividends* should be permitted, such representations had so- far been ignored. There were, however, indications that favourable consideration of the combined representations may be given by the Government during the forthcoming session of Parliament. Why the Government had so far failed to amend the Act as indicated, was unaccountable, for from every standpoint the suggested amendment of the Gaming Act should have been made years ago. It was an imperative reform, for the enactment of such amended legislation would not only add substantially to the revenue of the State, and without any additional taxation, but would also add to the revenue of clubs. It would, in addition, provide a legitimate and legalised means of betting at outside meetings without imposing any additional taxation or hardship upon the community, and it would, at the same time protect the public against taking doubles before a meeting was held, and coupling horses, one or both of which might not even start. With the use of the double machine, backers would assuredly get a start with both horses, and would also have the opportunity of seeing the condition of each horse on the day of the meeting, and almost invariably of securing a longer double price. Prior to 1908, the use of the double machine was permitted and was very popular. At that time the Takapuna Club ran a" double machine each racing day. As an illustration of how different were the odds laid by bookmakers as against the odds on the machine, he cited the following:—"The last time the club was permitted to use the double machine was at the second day of the summer meeting of 1008. The odds laid by the bookmakers on the winning double—Apologue and Black and Gold, was £50 to £1. The actual price paid on the double totalisator was over £950," Recently the London "Daily Express" published a statement that the bookmakers in England were carrying on a war against the totalisator with the object of destroying its popularity, and that it was claimed in the last annual report of the Betting Control Board that totalisator dividends averaged 50 per cent more than bookmaker starting prices. Until an amendment of the Gaming Act as he had mentioned was made, so long would the bookmaker, who made no contribution to the State or racing clubs, carry out his illegal calling and flourish, and so long would a very large number of otherwise law-abiding sporting men continue to flout the law and illicitly* wager with bookmakers throughout New Zealand. There was no doubt that the institution of the double totalisator on racecourses would assist materially in eliminating the bookmaker, and in suppressing illegal betting. The turnover of bookmakers in New Zealand was enormous. The Gaming Act was, and has, since 1908, been openly and flagrantly broken and defied, and would continue to be, unless the Act was amended. Then again, was it not farcical that the Press was not allowed to publish dividends declared on the legalised instrument of betting, : although the thousands attending race ' meetings were fully and publicly informed? It was to be hoped that the required amendment of the Gaming Act would be made during the forthcoming session of Parliament.