HOLIDAY BETTING

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22907, 2 January 1940, Page 6

HOLIDAY BETTING

GENERAL DECLINE RECORDED

AUCKLAND RACES AN EXCEPTION

NEARLY £l/000,000 INVESTED

Totalisator betting in New Zealand has declined by £67,764 on last year’s figures since the Christmas and New Year racing period began. The investments are still'high above the 1937-38 figures. The amount invested since December 23' is £981,319, compared with £1,049,083'1a5t year. Eight racing and trotting meetings Were held yesterday, and with the exception of the Auckland races, each one reported a fallingoff in the volume of betting. The decrease in the betting last week at the Auckland trots was offset by the increases at the Auckland Racing Club’s meeting at Ellerslie, the gain, compared with the previous year for the week’s racing being £7,270 10s. Although the second day of the Greymouth races was postponed yesterday because of heavy rain, the aggregate returns of the racing clubs were this year given a lift-up by the Dunedin Jockey Club holding an additional day’s racing. The sum of £266,884 was handled by machines at New Year’s Day fixtures. the decline • for the day being £27,163. The weather generally was good. Taxes for Government The Government has again received a handsome contribution from the racing public. Taxation on totalisator betting during the holiday season has reached £92,497. In addition, the clubs have received 7i per cent, of the investments. In round figures, betting has cost the public £165,600 in the last seven days of racing. Comparative returns of betting for the holiday period are;—

NEW Auckland Greymouth Waikouaiti \yyndham Marton' .. Wairarapa Stratford Hawke’s Bay YEAR’S DAY Racing 1938. £ .. 88,463 £ ,. 10,248 ., 23.766 \ .. 22,200£ .. 26,812 .. 22,2281; .. 32,243-J .. 16.125J .1939. £ • 97,991| 21,375* 15,999 22,373 23,108 26,988* 12,588 Total ..- 246,088 220,420* Trotting Canterbury Park 47,959 46,463* Grand total 294,047 266,884 DECEMBER 23-DECEMBER 30 Racing 1938. 1939. £ £ Auckland .. 20 5’2?o, Greymouth .. V.175 Dunedin ' .. 44,608 61,279 Manawatu • . • 122.054J 108,712 Taranaki .. 50,764 , 45.932J Waipukurau ,. 8,551 11,780 "Westland ' - - 7,385 4,251i Hawke’s Bay .. 12,765$ Ji’lTIf Wairarapa .. 23,759 18,614§ Total .. 449.055J -467,6751 Ashburton Auckland Gore Westport Wairarapa . Reefton Winton Trotting 1938. £ .. 36,302 .. 189,845 .. 19,793 .. 18,838 .. 23,759£ .. 4.554J .. 12.888i 1939. £ 23,528* 169.511* 18,218 17,709* 4,495 13,297 Total 305,980* 246,759* Grand total .. 755,036 714,435