TOTALISATOR BETTING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 289, 7 December 1933, Page 21

TOTALISATOR BETTING.

VISIT TO AUSTRALIA. »>;?. ' ... .■' , ,'. ./ ,V: fi i WELLINGTON MEN'S' VIEWS. r ' ■'••■ - ■ Messrs. N. Hayley and L- L. Saggers, superintendent and engineer in charge at Trentham, returned on Tuesday by the Marama from their trip to Australia, where their busih'ess was to inspect, and see in operation, on behalf of the Wellington Racing Club, the totalisators in use in New South Wales and Victoria. ■'Seven racecourses were visilted' on 'the trip, and they will report officially to a meeting of stewards next week.

They stated that the trip had been worth while, and 19mt they had learned a a good deal. At .the same time, Mr. Hayley commented that, so far as he could see; "we are very up-to-date here." -_ :The use of loudspeakers for broadcasting the running for the benefit of people attending the meetings aroused "their in- ' terest, though this is not an innovation bo far as some New Zealand courses are concerned. . They commented favourably upion the penalties imposed on offenders aga&nst the queue regulations at the totajisators. Racecourse inspectors were very irigilant regarding queue positions, and as a,_result .-..there .was . very- little trouble. The Julius automatic machines; which have been operating in "Victoria for two years, impressed the visitors, and they had resulted in a big increase in turnovers. Betting, in Victoria especially, was oij a large scale. At Caulfield on Noyembpr

25, the turnover in 55 units alone was fvtf.OOO. At Williamstown on Cup Day,

which was wet, and the attendance 16jD00, £25.000 was put through on six races, the Cup stake being £2500. In New South Wales, it was the opinion of racing men that the win and placesystem had saved the totalisator. Mr. Saggers considered that the New Zealand system compared very favourably, and the methods of calculating the dividends weresimilar.

Mr. Hayley fousd Australian tracks in excellent condition, considering the work thcv had to stand up to." At Caulfield there were between 600 and 700 horses using the tracks, and at Rand'wick the average was between 350 and 400 daily. They were very adequately staffed, however, and the tracks were constantly l watered.