TOTALISATOR STATISTICS.

Press, Volume XLV, Issue 7152, 23 August 1888, Page 3

TOTALISATOR STATISTICS.

1 " Mazeppa " in The Witness. My private memoranda in respect to the doings of last season embrace the totalisator returns from the large majority of the race meetings held in the colony— as many as could be procured by a diligent searcCxhrough the files; and on going carefully through these I was rather surprised to find that, so far as I can gather, the total amount put through the machines for the year just closed exceeds that of the previous twelve months. Comparing the figures with those of previous seasons, the totals of the several clubs vary considerably, one club now losing, and anon gainmg, and perhaps losing -again in different years as compared with other clubs; but spea_ing generally the season of 1887-88 is characterised by this peculiarity: that as a rule the largerclubsarelosersandthe smaller clubs gainers as compared with the previous season. This will partly account for the general rise in the total, for the many aye gained,, and the few have lost: and it must also be taken Into account that the number of meetings has slightly increased during the past season.' I am not prepared with the full details—lt seems impossible to make such a list absolutely complete—but so far as I can estimate, the total sum passed through the machines during 1887-88 is about £515,000, as against 1 £509,000 odd In the preceding season. The season of 1885-86, however, remains the champion so far as a total is concerned, the sum passed through that year being only a trifle under £560,000. For 1884-85 the estimate was £470,600, and for the 1883 84 season it came to £330,000. I have said that speaking generally, tbe larger clubs have dropped astern of their totals of the previous season. It will make this statement clearer If I give the actual returns of the metropolitan clubs, which are all presented below except in the case of Marlborough, the complete figures from which quarter have not come to hand. CANTERBURY. 1886-7. 1887-8. : Spring: .. £36.730 — £36,287 Summer .. 6,611 - 4.364 Autumn .. 12,507 — 10,8--Urand National — - - — 4,48. £55,848 £a 5,90. DUNEDIN. Spring .. £10.620 — £11.063 Autumn .. 28.780 - 29,691 Anniversary .. 3.125 — 3.572 Winter .. 7,676 — 8,729 £50,201 £53,058 AUCKLAND, Soring: .. — £9,187 SUmmer .. 32,018 - 21..01 Autumn .. 10,367 - 7,599 Winter .. 4,138 - 2,400 £51,562 ' £43,390 bawke's bat. Spring .. £8.214 - £6.266 Su-nnTer .. 4,246 - 3.563 Autumn .. 15,095 — S.oil Winter .. 2,967 - 3,366 £31,522 £22,006 WELLINOTOX, Spring - £5,701 - £6.363 SuWer .. 6.832 - 7,037 Autumn •- *.■'?, — t- 679 Winter .. 2,109 — — £19,817 £17,979 WANGAKUI. Spring - *2.436 - *ggg Autumn -- 8.793 — 8.438 Winter .. — 2,W0 £13,272 £12^53 TABANAKI. IESS ."J £3>4 - tm £3,064 £3,236 NELSON. Autumn .. £3.973 - £2 306 Winter -. — — 7 » 3 £3,973 £3,059 Canterbury, it will be observed, gains £108 as compared with the previous season; but this apparent advantage is not real, for the sum of £44-3 was put through at tbe Grand National, a meeting that was this year held for the first time under the auspices of the C. J.C. Dunedin shows an all-round increase, the grand total being £2857 in excess of the preceding year. Auckland gained considerably in respect to tho Spring fixture, but lost on the other three, and on tbe whole she comes out £8172 to the bad, Hawke's Hay began badly, and fell away fearfully over the Autumn meeting, but there wa9 an in*

crease over the steeplechases, and she left off £9-56 behind the preceding year. Wellington has really more than held her own, though nominally £1833 in arrear, the explanation being that this year the Steeplechase meeting was handed over to the Racing Club's alter ego. Wanganui loses £719 by an all-round decrease; Taranaki's two meetings as against one the previous season produce a gain of £172 ; and Nelson, though holding a extra meeting, comes out £914 to the bad. I have in the above remarks called attention to a fact noted in previous issues —viz., that the multiplication of subUrban race meetings is a direct handicap on city clubs. While preparing the figures cited in the procedlng paragraphs I also took note of the returns from some of these minor fixtures, and the result in one case is positively startlinß. I refer to Christchurch. In the vicinity of the City of the Plains no fewer than 25 race meetings were held during the season just expired, aud the accumulated total passed through the machines at these comes to the not inconsiderable sum of £42,715 ! I believe lam right in my count. I give Heathcote_ seven meetings and a grand total of £17,315 ; Lancaster Park, hve meetings and£S34s; New Brighton, five and £8061 ; Plumpton Park, five and £5631; and the Canterbury Trotting Association, three and £3283. The wonder to mc is that the Canterbury Jockey Club has not suffered more than it has by this extensive opposition. Readers of the Witness know that I am not an advocate of granting the metropolitan clubs anything like a monopoly; but I maintain that in the interests of the turf they must be kept alive at all hazards ; and when I see that nearly forty-three tliousand pounds has changed hands in one department alone in connection with the opposition to the C.J.C.—to say nothing of the sums disbursed by way of gate money, and drinks, and entry fees, and acceptances, and training charges and loss of time (the latter a direct call on the pockets of the public>—l can well understand Mr Stead and his coadjutors regarding it as a matter of vital importance to nave some of these fixtures suppressed. Other cities, too, besides Christchurch sutler from the same cause. The Wellington clubs are in rivalry with a not very formidable body called the Hutt PartRacing Association, which put £1438 through the totalisator at its solitary meetinar. This ia of course a mere fleabite. Not so, however, can be regarded the opposition to the Napier clubs, for the Town and Suburban Club that races at Taradale held four meetings during the season and handled no less than £8819. The Auc_j,<ind Kacing Club, too, has stinging Lhormii.in its side in the Takapuna, Ouehunga; v i meetings—all of which shar*ir J »le>2* or leas heavily on the I funds which. havi_*to spend on racing. _ * '* .