TOTALISATOR INQUIRY

Press, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 26847, 27 September 1952, Page 8

TOTALISATOR INQUIRY

STATEMENT ISSUED BY MR WEBB

IRREGULARITIES STILL BEING INVESTIGATED (New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, September 26. "Since the original complaint was made last June about totalisator irregularities, a police investigation has been going on continuously and as expeditiously as possible," said the Acting Minister in charge of Police (Mr T. C. Webb) in a statement issued today. Mr Webb said it had been necessary to obtain assistance from officers of the Audit Department in the difficult task of putting in order and interpreting the complicated records of all the totalisator transactions where any irregularity was suspected. That task was only now nearing completion. The Minister emphasised that the Police Department was responsible for the investigation of crime or suspected crime, and that the totalisator irregularities did not differ in essentials from any other suspected crime which was reported to the police. "The investigation of these irregularities is not, therefore, the responsibility of the Internal Affairs Depart* ment, and’ I am surprised that this was not appreciated in quarters where I would have thought it was well known,” said Mr Webb.

When all inquiries were completed, the voluminous evidence compiled by the specialist officers of the Audit Department, together with the results of actual police inquiries, which covered a very wide field, would be studied by the Commissioner of Police (Mr J. Bruce Young), who, in accordance with normal practice, would decide whether there was sufficient evidence to warrant a charge being made against any person or persons, said Mr Webb. If there was a doubt, the opinion of the Crown Law Office would be obtained. “I want to emphasise that the matter is entirely in the hands of the police, and it is for the Commissions of Police, in consultation with senior officers of his department, to make a decision on the question of a prosecution.” said Mr Webb.

“I am sure that the public will realise that the evidence obtained so far could not be made public without perhaps prejudicing the success of any possible prosecution. "Though there is little doubt that there have been irregularities in the operation of the totalisator machines at a number of meetings, until the investigation is completed, it will not be possible for the police to decide whether there is sufficient evidence to sustain a prosecution," Mr Webb said.