" PUFF " ON THE TOTALISATOR.

Bruce Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 1933, 17 February 1888, Page 4

" PUFF " ON THE TOTALISATOR.

So Wardell's pat the kibosh on the Totalisator ! Jolly good thing too t I hope his decision will stand, that's all ! But is'n't the Totalisator an improvement on the old style of betting ? Yes, but we don't wane either of 'em ! If they're done away with, it'll interfere sadly with sport ! "Sport," eh? I can't see where the sport comes in ! It's sheer gambling at the best, and very often it's low swindling ! There is'n't an item of sport in it ! The poor racehorses are mere machines for enabling a gang of rascals to prey on the greedy and dishonest section of the public ! A dice-box would answer the purpose just as well, — it the dice were judiciously cogged and deftly handled ! By gad, I believe you're right ! If betting were absolutely forbidden in any form, we'd have real races, fit for decent people to go to for amusement, as we used in the early days ! Ah, in those times, every family in the place who could go to races, went ! But you never see families at the races i now ! Not much ! It would'n't suit ! The sort of " sport " that goes on there now would'n't afford much amusement to the wives and children ! It used to be the three Fs ! Fun, Friendship and Fresh-air ! Now it's the three Bs, Betting, Bookmaking. and Blackguardism ! With generally two or three Court cases to follow ! And the gaol at the finish !