RESTRICTION BY BOOKMAKERS

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25389, 12 January 1948, Page 6

RESTRICTION BY BOOKMAKERS

GREYMOUTH BETTING NORTH ISLAND WAGERS NOT ACCEPTED From Oup Ow,n Reporter GREYMOUTH, January 11. Opportunities for betting through illegal channels were limited in Greymouth yesterday, but residents had an alternative outlet in betting at the the Greymouth Jockey Club’s meeting at Omoto. The totalisator turnover exceeded the previous record by about £4OOO. bookmakers in the North Island were on holiday, and it was impossible in Greymouth to place a bet on any horse running in the North Island. The Greymouth bookmakers were as polite as usual, but declined to accept bets. Their explanation was that with northern branches of the Dominion Sportsmen’s Association in recess it would be impossible to obtain information about dividends. Bets' were accepted on the Timaru meeting, though information about dividends was late in coming to hand. It is not known what will happen this week when the Wellington meeting will be held. It is stated that, if North Island bookmakers remain out of business because of the Gaming Commission’s report, it is likely that South Island bookmakers will also boycott ordinary regular business. It is hard to imagine a Wellington meeting without considerable West Coast betting on such events as the Wellington Cup and the Telegraph and Anniversary Handicaps. It is believed that in the absence of bookmakers, even temporarily, there will be an increase in the number of “rat” doubles at £5 for Is. No double charts for the Wellington meeting have yet made their appearance. The bookmakers’ boycott is puzzling many Greymouth people and as a topic of discussion has supplanted even the beer boycott. LIMITED BETTING IN CANTERBURY Because the Timaru Trotting Club’s meeting was the only Canterbury meeting and because' a holiday had been decided upon by some branches of the Dominion Sportsmen s Associa- ■ tion before the publication of the Gaming Commission’s report, betting was restricted in Christchurch on Saturday. A decision on the future activities of the Dominion Sportsmen’s Association will be made shortly.