THE TOTALISATOR.

Press, Volume LXIV, Issue 13102, 29 April 1908, Page 8

THE TOTALISATOR.

STRONG CRITICISM BY THE REV

J. J. NORTH.

(FROM A CORRESPONDENT.)

WELLINGTON, April 28,

In the course of his address on the Gaming Act, the Rev. J. J. North said that tho totalisator was breeding sneaks, and opposition to it ought to be nourished. Racing men were afraid to invest because "bookies" would take the tip. One of them had boasted that he did not use the machine, his reason being that ho dared not. The speaker wen* on to say that the "sport of "kings" was honeycombed with sneak practices. Independent judgments on horses were seldom formed. Racing men either used the bookmakers, which was their common practice, or rushed to the roachino just on closing time, when it was too late for their example to be imitated. This was, of course, an eminenitly British proceeding. Ho liad another reason for their .avoiding the machine. That was that their big bete would spoil the dividend. Therefore, thej , lot the fooi public feed tho machino, which they publicly extolled, but which, in real fact, they ignored. He had evidene© that credit betting on the machine was stiil flourishing. Since the exposure of last year, blamk 1.0. U. forms Qiad been issned Hβ held a book issued by a chib at its last meeting, which had been used up by a sportsman, who got credit. Credit betting on the machine ought ' to be abolished.