GREYHOUND RACES IN ENGLAND.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20734, 20 December 1932, Page 11

GREYHOUND RACES IN ENGLAND.

* TOTALISATOR QUESTION. PUBLIC INTEREST AROUSED. (B&ITiSH OJTICHII. viulzss.) (Received December 19th, 5.5 ii.m.) EUGBY, December 17. The effect of yesterday's judgment of the- Lord Chief Justice, which would make tho totalisator illegal at greyhound races, continues to excite public interest. Totalisator? were in use at several meetings laii night. Tho position of totalisator clubs is tho subject af consideration, but it is generally assumed that they will be closed. No polico action is likely, however, pending instructions from tho Homo Secretary, law officers are stated to have the whole matter under consideration. Editorial comment mostly welcomes the judgment as bringing to a head an unhealthy situation, in which new betting facilities were increasing under doubtful legal authority. ROYAL COMMISSION. CLl'B BETTING INVESTIGATED. U'KOii OUT. US COiIiiSI'OSDENV.J LONDON, November 5. J iic Koyal Commission on Lotteries and Betting heard evidence yesterday concerning the use oi the totalisator at clubs and greyhound racing tracks. Siv Sidney Rowlatt prodded. Mr P. A. Symmons, of the Mitre Club, flegent street, suid lie Mas oi opinion that "'toto clubs" catering for all classes had uot so far, and were not likely in the future, to increase betting upon horse-racing. The clubs catering lor the lower classes bad drawn not a new public, but entirely those who had Leon in the habit ot breaking tho law by betting witu. street bookmakers. Tho clubs catering for tho higher grades drew their public from those who were in the habit of regularly betting with bookmakers upon credit. Wliile they wore engaged in betting in a "tote club" they would not trouble their bookmaJFers, and thero were many persons now betting in his club in sums of 2s and 10s, and thoroughly amusing themselves, who would generally stake much higher figures with their bookmaker. He was of opinion that "tote clubs" should continue under control and license from a body such as the Racecourse Betting Control Board, or any extension thereof that the Commission might recommend. Granted this, the Street Betting Act, 1906, should be rigidly enforced and should be amended to include far higher penalties for its infringement. The chairman: You have a totalisator away from the course. Do you say that w; s contemplated as possible iu 1928? Not actually in that form; hut I think it was contemplated that "away betting" should occur. Sir Sydney Skinner: In your opinion is betting in „a "tote c-lub" legal?— Apparently the authorities consider it to be legal. Sir Stanley Jackson: Could a tote be installed in any club that has been registered? Could it lie put into the i Athenaeum or the Carltcn, far m- ! stance? —I think so. Over 32,000 Members. Mr Charles Bo wen (of the iirm of <*• Buriatte and Bowen), solicitor to ** ooi Clubs, Xainited, said they lia4 $} clubs. The members included barristers,' golicitors, members of Parliament", anti priests. There were several clergymen. They had 32,500 members and a P*att of 360. They paid £29,400 in rent and rates, and the salaries and wages amounted .to £50,000 per annum. Women represented about 10 per cent, of the membership. Evidence on behalf of the British. Greyhound Tracts Control Soefaty, Limited. w »s given by Mr James Shand, with whom were Mr William Brown and A- W. Wrigbtson. Mr Shand stated that the Society came info existence in February, 1932, and controlled and efficiently maintained 11 large greyhound racing tracks with an initial capital outlay of £320,000. Arrangements wero being made for the early opening of «ight more tracks. A strict rule was, tuat none of their tracks might open on * Sunday. They catered more for the sporting public thaw for the gambler, and could find no evidence that the utilisation of the totalisator had'in anyway encouraged or developed the gambling instinct. If the Royal Commission recommended any measure of control of tho betting on jjreyjiound tracks, they suhmittea—because of the effectiveness and experience of the members of the council of the JHwtisu Greyhound Tracks Control Sseiflty — they should receive comparable recognition with the National Greyhound Racing Society and Club, or any other controlling body.