THE BOOKMAKER.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 95, 22 April 1912, Page 2

THE BOOKMAKER.

LUCRATIVE BUSINESS BEING DONE. [BY TELEGitAPH — PHESS ASSOCIATION.] AUCKLAND, 21st April. While the result of last week's police raid serves to show that the bookmaker still thrives despite the provisions of the Gaming Act of 1910, which aimed at hiy total extinction, it quite- failed to indicate > the full extent to" which illegal betting gees on in Auckland. While the gaming house proprietors convicted were well known as layers of odds, they did not by any means represent the biggest bookmakers. At present operating in this city there are quite fifty such gentry carrying on lucrative bookmakmg business in and about Queen-street, and there are at least half a dozen who probably each have a larger clientele than all those arrested last week put together. Certain it is that if the law's intention is really to be carried out, thg police must follow the- recent raid up with vigorous and systematic action. A spasmodic effort is useless. To illustrate how small has been the moral effect of the prosecutions juet completed, an ordinary citizen had only to keep his eyes and ears open in Queen-street yesterday morning. In certain saloons wellknown members of what used to be called "The'Eing" were' openly telephoning their clients concerning their fancies for Epsom or Trentham. at both of which places racing was in progress. That certain semi-public places are similarly frequented and used is very well known. The fact is indisputable that the punter can to-day in Auckland have his little bet in shillings or pounds without the sligheet trouble, and that there is no more difficulty in betting with a bookmaker now than there was previous to his ostensible banishment in 1910. If the principals are not always obtainable, then their agents are.