GAMBLING IN AUSTRALIA

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIX, Issue 136, 11 June 1945, Page 7

GAMBLING IN AUSTRALIA

SYDNEY, June 8.

The staggering proportions which gambling has reached throughout Australia are indicated by a "Sydney Morning Herald" survey published today." From 1934 to 1944 the annual returns of registered bookmakers in New South Wales alone, estimated on their taxation! returns, rose from £10,500.000 to more than £28,500,000. The State's racecourse totalisater receipts followed the same pattern, rising from about £1,250,000 in 1934 to nearly £4,750,000 in 1944.

While the major betting figures concern horse racing, this is only a section of Australia's big gambling activity. Wagering on greyhound racing is also considerable.

In all New South Wales towns, legal housie housie gatherings are features of suburban life, and are patronised by their regular tens of thousands. The New South Wales Stajte Lottery, which had 67 drawings in 1932, the first year of its existence, increased its drawings to 121 in 1944 when subscriptions rose to the record total of nearly £ 3,200,000.

At the annual meeting of the Hutt Valley branch of the New Zealand Home Servicemen's Association, the following officers were elected: —President, Mr. A. J. Archer; vice-president, Mr. S. E. Harding; hon. treasurer, Mr. J. H. Reaney; executive committee, Captain D. W. Cole, Messrs. A. C. Duncan, A. R. Evernden, K. T. J. Fleet, W. Giltrap, A. J. Johnstone, G. P. McEwen: hon. auditor, Mr. N. H. Russell. A strong social committee was set up, and the future social activities of the branch discussed. It is 'hoped shortly to forward to members a programme of functions for the year.