LICENSING OF BOOKMAKERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 130, 4 June 1935, Page 6

LICENSING OF BOOKMAKERS.

"Clean Sport" apparently doe.s not object to the gambling through the totalisator so long as he and others may share in the benefits from the Government portion of the tax which is draining the life blood from the game. He would even seo that all bookmakers were sent to gaol to make certain that the amount was increased. The betting public is most decidedly not behind the law forbidding bookmakers, although those who do not bet may believe in forcing everything through the "tote" so that they can benefit without contributing. If the Government devoted its portion of the tax to some special racing purpose, such as a pension and accident fund for jockeys and their dependents', I, for one, would be in favour of as much ae possible going through the machine, but so far as I can see the critics of racing have always benefited equally with its supporters from' any use to which it has been put. Is it clean sport to send a bookmaker to gaol whilst permitting the "tote" to operate and art unions to be run? Sportsmen have no time for hypocrisy and will therefore always be up against our ridiculous gaming laws. Your correspondent is probably right In '•aying that it needs public support to stamp out bookiuaking, but this will never be forthcoming,, at any rate from that section that pavs the piper. My opinion is that bankers prefer to do their business with bookmakers because they feel they are at lea«t keeping their money within the racing circle. IX THK SIUDE-