GAMING ACT.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 185, 30 April 1908, Page 5

GAMING ACT.

MR. MITCHELSON ON MR. NORTH'. POINTS CONCEDED. (OX TELEGBArII.—SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.) Auckland; April 29. The President of the' Auckland Racing Club (the Hon.'E. Mitchclson) agrees- in some respects with the recent utterances in Wellington of tho Rev. J. J. North, but not in all. For instance,' to an interviewer he stated j'osterday that Mr. North was wide of tho maTk in saying that "tho racing clubs' hostility to bookmakers was the merest bunkum:" "Tho Auckland Racing Club," lie said,- "took tho initiative, in preventing ' bookmakers from plying their calling on the Ellcrslie r.acecoursc. A resolution to this effect was passed nearly two years ago (long before the present Act was framed). This action had, however, been nullified by the present Act-, which, provides for the admittance of bookmakers to" tho racecourses. They would welcome an amendment to the Act which would wipe out bookmakers altogether." In regard to the alleged credit betting on tho machine, Mr. Mitchelson said that if any such thing existed at Auckland it was done at: the, totalisator proprietors' own risk. Tho latter had been notified by the Club that ho must have cheques to cover tho 1.0.U.'s before the '.tickets were issued. So far as ho (Mr. Mitchelson) was aware, no credit betting was done at Ellerslie. "I know nothing of the 'Wellington Club," said Mr. Mitchelson when questioned as. to nn-.ot-her statement by Mr. North,' "but so fan as 1 know no stable is owned by any member of tho Auckland Racing Club. The racecourso and appurtenances are. practically owned by the public,,'and all profits received are put back into the course in the way of improvements." ' ', As to the "double dividend idodgo" referred to by Mr. North, Mr. Mitchelson said that tho system of ■-'- paying- out oil ; two horses was not initiated, by the clubs, but was forced upon them byi'tho : investors,. - " Mr. North lias touched ' a weak point there," admitted Mr. Mitchelson, on being, questioned in regard-to the statement as to over-racing and the I 'regulation of uon-' totalisator clubs. The-Racing Conference, he said, was not firm ! enou!;li on this point. The representatives of ; tho metropolitan clubs at tho conference.would/willingly' agree to reduce the number of clubs (both totalisator and non-totalisator),'- and the days of racing, but they were'. out-voted by the representatives of the country clubs. "There is no doubt-," lie added; "that'there-is far too much racing." "There is ono statement in regard to .which I am in hearty accord' : with Mr. North," said Mr. Mitchelson; in conclusion,' "and that is 'that, the suppression', of nontotalisator clubs ' and " the ' restriction; of •totalisator clubs, together -with "the prohibition of proprietary 'racing; are points that' should be vehemently ur~ed upon the . Government. I-.-think thattsentiment .will' be endorsed'by tho Racing Conference anrl'by every metropolitan olub in .'the country."