THE ST. LEGER.

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 147, 23 June 1928, Page 20

THE ST. LEGER.

A keen pi'oblom-lovor never concerns himself about the ethics of any particular theory or practice if a problem on the subject is submitted to him, for he will confine his attention entirely to what can bo logically and satisfactorily proved. A total abstainer, for instance, if a problem-votary, will interest himself in the correct calculation of the capacity of a hogshead without any concern as tq what commodity it contains or for what purposo it had been constructed. Similarly in regard to other debatable matters, betting, for example, with which the following problem is concerned. A 'horse race called the St. Leger took place not long ago, in which there were.only three contestants, X, •. V, Z. The totalisatorboard indicated that if X won it would pay two and a half. pounds for every pound invested on that horse; V three and a third, and Z five pounds. As there ■ was no second dividend, how much should an investor speculate on each starter iiv order to show, a net profit of five pounds, no matter which horse •won? For the information of the non-betf;ing roader, any dividend received would include the amount, invested on the winner, that is, to say the odds againat tho chances of any particular horse would bo the amount of tho dividend, less the sum'speculated.,