Fall Of 7 Per Cent. In N.Z. Race Betting

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28958, 28 July 1959, Page 19

Fall Of 7 Per Cent. In N.Z. Race Betting

Betting on totalisators throughout New Zealand for the 1958-59 racing year, which has ended, was £43,755,000, a fall of 7 per cent, on the betting for 1957-58. Betting on-course fell more than that at agencies of the Totalisator Agency Board. In 1957-58. betting reached the all-time peak of £46,435,000. From early in this year, attendances at meetings declined generally and the betting on-course dropped sharply. For the punters, the direct cost on and off course was at least £7,600,000. Of that sum, the Government collected by way of totalisator and dividend taxes £4,091,000, some of which was refunded to the racing and trotting clubs. After that deduction, £3,509,000 was the revenue to the clubs from the betting. The receipts by clubs from the “amenities” levy of i per cent, on both on and offcourse betting was about £219.000.

In Canterbury, the drop in oncourse # betting was heavier at galloping meetings than at trotting meetings. On-course betting in the province for the racing season totalled £3,765,000, £2,223,000 being on trots. In the 1957-58 season, the investments on-course were £4,083,000, making the drop £318,000. Comparative figures of investments at meetings held in Canterbury, Marlborough, Nelson, Buller and the West Coast were:—

RACING National Cup .. Midsummer Easter Canterbury 1958-59 £ 403.735} 344,001 54.770} 213,681 1957-58 £ 384.397} 351.277 64.934} 298.218 Total .. 1,016,188 1.098.827 Banks Peninsula November 1 27.732} March 7 .. 23,427} 33,315} 34,928} Total 51,160 68.244 August 30 September May 9 June Ashburton 34,796} 13 31.670} 25,202 .. 25,285} 33,049} 38.864 28.100} 35,877 Total 106,954} 135,891 South Canterbury Christmas .. 75.5971 Winter .. 50,830 89.494 68.225 Total 12(5,427} 157,719 North Canterbury Labour Day .. 41,659 June 6 .. 23,442 48.4891 *25.504} Total 65.101 73,994 September October 18 •Jan Geraldine 2 29.073} 17,621 last year ' 37,424} 22.445 Total 45,694} 59.869} December Hororata 13 20.568} 25,978 May 2 Amberley .. \ 27,349} 28,310 May 23 Waimate 19.045} 14.926 Christchurch Hunt July 25 . . 42,646 63,161} South July 18 Canterbury Hunt 24,067} 31.707 Waimate Hunt July 11 .. 15,739 19.543 April 9 April 11 Marlborough .. 18,607 .. 25,021} 19,046 30.284} Total .. 43,628} 49.330} Aprif 18 April 20 Nelson .. 31,841} • ■ 23,555 33,435 26,830} Total .. 58,396} 60,265} Spring Autumn Westport .. 34,716} 25.269 33.874} 30,451} Total 59,935} 64.326 December 6 January 7 Reei'ton 11,959} 12,936} 11,012} 16.630} Total 24,896 27,649 Spring Autumn Greymouth 30,437} 21,276} 21,861 23,907} Total 51.714 45,768} January 10 Kumara 18,054 20,102} January 13 Feb. 14-16 Westland 13.214} 24,792} 23.066} Total 38,007 23,066} TROTTING New Zealand Metropolitan 1958-59 1957-58 £ £ National .. 163,3713 178.987J Cup .. 469,576} 611,471} Easter .. 193,527} 217,836} June 13 .. 82,207} — Total 908,682} 1.008.295} Canterbury Park New Year .. 170.370J February .. 74.619 February .. — Winter .. 70,123} 85.3131 68,600} 69.169 81.794} Total 315,113} 305.867 New Brighton September 6 97.944} September 20 97,825} December 6 74.955} February 21 73.854 90.662* 97.6863 86.075} 89.622 Total 344.580 273,384} •June i 4, 1958

October 4 Boxing Day June Ashburton 55,930 68,444 78,450 52,6391 81.910 118,038 Total 202,824 ' 252,5871 Summer Timaru 91,917 J 98,5901 Autumn 41.127 39,131 Winter 35.318J 36.9711 Total 168,2*3 174,693 September Methven 27 50.698 43.713} April 18 33,190 43,603 Total 83,888 87,316} December Rangiora 20 41,190 42,573} April 11 Cheviot 35,484 21,969} November 3 Kaikoura 20,068 17,650 Banks Peninsula October 11 42,137 42.961 January 24 Hororata 26,206 21.452} Greymouth Labour week-end 47.277 45.139} New Year 55.475J 58,197} Easter 20,370 22,768} Total 123,1221 126,159} December Walmate 13 24,6221 22.243} February Geraldine 28 30,226 31,515 Spring Westport 15,818 16,551 Christmas 35,728 J 30.620J Total 51,5461 47,1713 December Reefton 30 15,5611 12.324} February Nelson 62,126 68.4061 Winter 49,817 53.944} February Marlborough .. 53,495 42,342