THE TURF.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 73, 19 December 1907, Page 9

THE TURF.

■ THE GAMING ACT. MANAWATU R.C. AND THE BOOKMAKERS. LEGAL ASPECT DISCUSSED. The Jotter printed below tins -boon sent to tho secretary of the Manawatu Racing Club by Messrs. Wilford and Levi, solicitors, acting under instructions from tho newly-formed Wellington Association of Bookmakers. Tho Manawatu Club's conditions regarding licencing bookmakers have already been published in 'Jiie Dominion. The letter is as follows: — Wo aro instructed to write you in reference to tho conditions prepared by your club re licensing of oooKmakers. In regard to conditions No. 1 and 2, we havo nothing to say, oxcept, in our opinion, the date fixed for thu receipt of implications is remote. In regard to condition No. 3, no exception can bo taken . to it, and in regard to condition No. 4, though it is admitted that your ciub has tho power to require a fee of £5 a day • for bookmakers clerks, wo consider, without any great concession, your club might see its way to reduco that feo to, say, a nominal payment of ss. : In regard to condition No. 5, in which you ■ provide a particular portion of a race? courso for bookmakers, wo desiro to point out that you havo no, such power undor the Statute. The' license must' bo toenter tho "racecourse," and thero to carry on business as a bookmaker. : " Racccourso " is defined in tho Act of this year;as "land which is used for raco meetings." It therefore includes tho whole place which is used for tho mooting, and tho license must autboriso tho carrying on of the business' of a bookmaker on the whole plaeo; the lawn and saddling paddock aro oortainly parts of tho racecourse. While tho bookmakers do not desiro to havo the right to carry on .thoir business anywhere . and ovorywhoro, they cortainly desiro to pro- : test against a club placing them in a . posjtion whoro thoy can do little or no business, especially in view of the wording of tho Act. Tho powor of the club to niako regulations is. derived from . Section 34, Subclause 4. Thero is tho , power of absolute expulsion in tho case of public reserves; and, no doubt, as far.as • private courses . aro conccrnod, a club may in certain eases, oxcludo by. regulation or v mero. resolution,., but it: will bo • remembered, aftor considerable litigation . in the Dominion, it has bcoii clearly es^ < tablished that even tho power of oxpul- - • sion from reserves is limited. Thero is . in the Act that any condition can be imposed, except tho condition that tho license shall be for such period as tho club thinks fit, and that a feo may bo olmrged not exceeding £20 a . ; day; the licenso, therefore, is only sub- ' ject to such condition. Wo admit, of course, that licensees would bo bound to obsorve such N reasonable regulations as apply to the public in general. I In reference to condition No. 7, which , states that no bookmaker shall make any bet on any race aftor the closing of the totalisator for that race, wo beg to . point out that there is no clause in the Act which allows the making of such a condition. Clause 33, Sub-seotion 1, provided that no investment on tho totalisator shall be recoived "after the time notified by such club for the starting of such race." It surely cannot be \ contended that this clauso circs a racing club power, to impose condition No. 7, : and if Clause 33 does 'not give that power, there is no other clauso in tho ■ Act which refers to the matter. In ro- . ference to condition 8, what is the necessity for it? The more signing of a condition not to bet tote odds, if the betting i of tote odds is illegal, will not affect tho . bookmakers one way or the other. In regard to , Clauso No. 9, we desiro to , point out that, although it is perfectly '■ fair to provide that a breach of any s; . reasonable condition should bo tho ground i. for tho forfeiture! ■of "'licenses,' .the fact that a man had, say, a ss. wager on a -football, match, though it is'a breach of . the Gaming Act, should not, be sufficient ■to debar a bookmaker from obtaining a " license.. . Wo trust- that your cltib will see its •'/"way clear to modify these conditions, : for the bookmakers do not desiro litigation, but, rather to ..work ,in amicably ' 'with tho stewards of caol) particular club. ■ Tlio Wellington Bookmakers' Association has, appointed a committee of six tn meet tho Manawatu Racing Club in eonfcrenco on Friday , afternoon, With a tiow to arriving at an amicable settlement of the points in dispute. ' BOOKMAKERS ORGANISING. • • : At a meeting of twenty Wellington bookmakers held yesterday afternoon, it was decided to form on organisation l to bo called the Wellington Bookmakers' Association. Rules and a constitution will be submitted at a meeting to bo hold early in tho Now Year. Mr. C. N. Beasloy has been appointed secretary. • . . , • MASTERTON TROTTING CLUB. ' The following acceptances have been received for the Masterton Trotting Club's meeting, which takes place at Masterton today :— MAIDEN HANDICAP TROT. One mile.Lady H., sen; Ngnrnima, Ssec.; Tuhirangi, 7sec.; Central, 7sec.; Deborah, 7see.; Postboy, lOsec.; Toony G., lOsee. TRIAL TROT. One mile and a half.— Vannio, sscc.; Ticket, 7scc.; Deborah, 7sec.; Postboy, 12scc.; Teeny G., 12sec. ; MASTERTON TROTTING CLUB HANDICAP. Two miles.—Magnet, 32aec.; Giggles, 36sec.; Glory, 36sec.; Fairfield . V II, 40, see.; Miss Rothschild, 45sec.; -Rockwood, 48sec.; Childstono, 48see.; Gontleman Jack, 48sec. DISTRICT HANDICAP TROT. Ono mile and a half. —Auctionoor, scr.; Giggles, 18 sec.; Fairfiold 11, 22sec.; Apology, 24sec.; Vannio, 24sec.; Tuhirangi, 2750 c.; Rockwood, 27sec. STEWARDS' TROTTING HANDICAP. Ono mile and a half. — Auctioneer, Bscc.; Governor, Ssec.Lotus, 22sec.; Magnet, 24 sec;; Glory, 27sec.; Giggles, 27sec. BOROUGH HANDICAP TROT. Two miles. —Auctioneer, sor.; Vanco, 32sec.;' Miss Rothschild, 32sec.; Rockwood, 3550 c.; Childstone, 35sec.; Gontleman Jack, 35sec.; Postboy; 40sec. ' ELECTRIC HANDICAP TROT. One mile. —Governor, scr.; Lotus, 9sec.; Lady.ll, 10' sec.; Giggles, 12sec.; Glory, 12sec.; Ngaraima, 13sec.; Fairfield 11, 1450 c.; Ticket, 16sec.; Teeny G., 20sec. PALMERSTON TRAINING NOTES. (by telegbapii—pbess association.) Palmerston, December 18. ; To-day was comparatively an off day at 'Awapuni, and tho majority of horses competing at the Maiiawatu meeting wero restricted to useful pacing work. E. Cutts arrived yesterday. Sister Anne and Do Witto wore first out this morning, but tho pair did only pacing work. Dusky Morn put up an attractive six furlongs. Dream and Crucincllo galloped five furlongs fast, the latter having the best of the run. The Cup candidates Tangimoana, Montigo, and Bourrasque did useful work, as also did Rangipapa, Taiigcroa, Prospector, Oakleigh, and numerous others. . RANGITIKEI SUMMER MEETING. (BY TEMMIIAPM — I'ItKSE! ASSOCIATION.! Bulls, December 18. Tho following are acceptances for tho Rangitikei summer meeting (first day):— ■ SCOTT MEMORIAL H ANDICAP.—Bunyan, Ballarat, Tho Stake, Motoa, Swimming Belt, Toa Tuhi, Catapult, Little Mary. OHAKEA HURDLES. —Black Reynard, Lull, Killarnoy, Kaipotipeti, Tanra, Hnrimoana, Lyrist, Black Squall, Oryx. CARNARVON HACK.—Catapult, Waicola, Rangipapa, Nukutihi, Signor, ICareroa, Bonnie Doon, Yosami, Crncinolla. RANGITIKEI CUP.-Irish Rifle, Whakawehi, Tangimoona, Waitapu, Asteroid, Me-

dallist., Roseal, Knrawaka, Nora, Eallarat, Splonciid [(lea, Uhlando, Bellario, Tnn San. RAILWAY HACK HURDLES.—Kaipetipoti, Tnura, Lyrist, To Ari, Confyass, l'aparonlii, Aorangi, Maidi, Cassiopea, Xlcreshot, Tlio. Loader, I'apntawa, Xavier, Musson, Oakley. MAKOWHAI WELTERThe Stake, Wakav/ehij Medallist, Flotilla, Wind, Gaiiiie, Probability, Pukonni. WELTER HACK.—Belario, To Ari, Spcciosa, lloiiyhnhnm, Buoyant, Greenleaf, Contour, Mcrosliot, Carissima, Sedgcmoor, Happy Maid, Unwhotu, Windage, Mount Cook. AUCKLAND CUP. (BY TELEQKjWII—I'RIiSS ASSOCIATION.) Auckland, December 18. Shrapnel was scratched for the Auckland Cup at 10.50 a.m. to-day. MANAWATD STUD SALE. . Next Monday, at Palmerston North, a number of thoroughbred yearlings are to be sold at auction on account of the Manaiyatu Stud Company, Ltd., and others, on account of private gentlemen. Tho date of the sale is a convenient one for owners, as it. comes between .the first and second days of tho Manawatu races, and will thus do away with the' necessity of a special trip to Palmerston. For. any, likely buyers, however, who do not contemplate , a.; trip to the races, I would reqommoud a trip to tho sale. Tho youngsters to be placed in the ring are an oxcellent lot, and there is sure to bo keen bidding for them. Tho first on tho list —the Multiform— Rumour colt —is undoubtedly the pick of the baskot. Multiform (a groat performer hiinsolf) is famous as, the sire, of Noctuiform, Nightfall, Isolfc, Boniforin, etc., while Rumour is by Eiridspord, the sire of La Notte and other good brood mares, so that tho colt lacks nothing in breeding. In colour ho is a beautiful bay, and his symmetrical shape has appealed to all who hare seon him. Ho looks game, too, and as regards his pace, ho only wants to be seon running in tho paddock to set at rest all doubts 011 tlmt point. Among the others are two fillies by Soult, both out of good mares. During the last fire years Soult has been in tho front rank as a sire, and when, mated with good mares lie never fails to get good gallopers. Two fillies by Pilgrim's Progress are also 011 tho list. Pilgrim's Progress has sired soveral winners in tho Dominion, including Bunyan, Paragon, Mercy. Other yearlings to be sold are ii : chestnut filly by Formosan—Wepener, a' hay colt by-Captain Webb—Marvellous, and a brown filly by Kilchoran—Purity. Tho latter is, I think, tho first of Kilcheran's progeny to appear for salo. She should turn out a great sprinter, for hor dam comes of a splendid family, and hor sire, Kilchoran, must bo admitted the fastest horso that has ever set foot in New Zealand. Catalogues, with the oxtonded pedigrees of all tho abovo yearlings, may bo obtained from Mellsop, Elliott and; Co., Palmerston North, or from tho Now Zealand Loan and Morcnntilo Agency, Palmerston Nortln NOTES AND COMMENTS. (By Glhncoe.) > Final ■ paymonts for tho Auckland Cup and Manawatu Clip aro duo to-morrow night. Acceptances for tho first day's events at tho Porangahau mooting must bo made this ovoning, and ■ for tho Ashhurst-Pohangina meeting to-morrow night. The Stepniak colt Sir Artcgal'will not bo soon out at tho Manawatu meoting, as ho has been sent., to fulfil his engagements at Dunediri. / On tho second day at Plumpton ho had a very bad passage throughout tho race, and was unlucky to mis 3 a win. Somaroff showed a lot of paco at tho Christchurch meeting, but ho bohaved badly at tho bajrior, and this spoilt his chances on both days. The connections of Armamonto woro very confident that tho colt would win on both days at Plumpton,. arid backed him accordingly.. . i;r , Accoptancos for tho Hawko's Bay Jockey Club's meeting closo to-indrrow night, also acceptances for tho Dunedin Jockoy Club's mooting. "