THE BOOKMAKER AND THE LAW.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1076, 15 March 1911, Page 7

THE BOOKMAKER AND THE LAW.

; AN INTERESTING INTERVIEW. (By relocranh—Special CorrKDondenU AuoUland, March 14.

The bookmaker, on his own admission, is liko the poor, he is always and will probably be always with us so long as men bet, and it appears they always have betted and' always will bet. There must be a third man to adjust tho odds, and take the risk (for a but though the "bookie" declares quite openly that he will not go altogether, a great number of the profession arc shaking the dust of the Dominion off their feet. Tho Gaming- Act, by shutting "the proiession" off the racecourses, dealt a severe blow to the lesser lights; and many of them have already departed for the more open-hearted shores'of Australia to tako their chances of finding an opening for their talents; but very many of the better-known peneillers remain to ply their calling according to their .skill and,consciences outside the bounds Set by law. The position taken up by tho bookmaker to justify his action is based upon the facts that people want to bet, that bookraaking can bo carried on without breaking the law, and that if the old "firms" broke up, after in some cases 30 years in business, they would be unable to take up any other vocation.

"It's not for the living wo do it," said one of the fraternity. "It's for the sport. It's a game- liko writing for the newspapers, and we.can't drop it." Itirthermorc, he attempted tho weak justification blaming the other man 'I don't see," he said, "that there's much difference between backing a horso you fancy and backing the 0 unearned increment. If you buv a farm you don't usually expect to make your money by digging it. You're looking out for someouo to sell it to." Tlie bookmaker proceeded then to give his interviewer; some further information. -' ■■• ■'•- •

It lsut against the-. law to bet," he said. "We can't bet in a publichouse, or in a street, but wc can bet m shops when wo happen to meet our clients, and we always know who we arc dealing with, and no money passes As a matter of fact, I've done mora business since wo were put off the course than before. It's not so expensive as paying £20 a dav license fee lou'd be surprised at the rauge of mv customer*. They no all the way from Ministers of the Crown to—well, not to ministers of the Church, we haven't got that far yet: but thev include -ill sorts of people, down to wharf labourers.'

What do you want to go awav for? he was asked.

i <L lke tno method," he answered. Every customer has a fictitious name. We have to do evervthiiw underhand, and it goes against the grain.'