LICENSES OPPOSED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22320, 3 May 1947, Page 4

LICENSES OPPOSED

IN N.Z. EXPERTS’ CRITICISM PUBLISHING OF DIVIDENDS (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, May 3. Opposition to the licensing of bookmakers was expressed by witnesses called by Mr. C. S. Thomas when the case of the New Zealand Trotting Conference was continued yesterday. “It has to be recognised that the public will bet off-course and that if legalised facilities are not available, they will bet illegally with bookmakers. This is a very baa state of affairs, especially as it brings the law of the land into disrepute.” These. remarks were made by Robert Mafeking Macfarlane, M.P. for Christchurch Central. Reduction To Minimum Referring to the suggestion that the trotting and racing authorities should have control of the off-course betting system, Macfarlane said that if . facilities were granted to the authorities it would not eliminate bookmakers, but they would be reduced to a minimum, and that would be all for the good of the sport. While he realised that any scheme put forward by the authorities would not be able to give as full a service as that provided by the bookmakers, he did not think that should be allowed to stand in the way of any reasonably efficient scheme. "If, however, facilities are not recommended, I take the view that as a last resort, and as a last resort only, it would be better to legalise the bookmaker for off-course betting rather than to let matters stand as they are,” he continued. “I take this view with a great deal of reluctance, bjeause I think that directly an element of personal gain enters, there must be a tendency towards interference with the result of races.” The publication of dividends and the introduction of a doubles totalisator were also advocated by Macfarlane, who said that both things would assist in “knocking” the bookmaker. Effect of 40-llour Week Mr. W. E. Leicester, for the Dominion Sportsmen’s Association, asked witness about the working of the 40-hour-week and the effect of any off-course betting scheme on the hours o£ work of Post and Telegraph Department employees. Witness said that if the scheme was introduced, employees would have to abide by the law of the land, and he had no doubt that they would do so. Asked about the attitude to persons who could not take advantage of any approved scheme for off-course betting, Macfarlane said that if only a small percentage of persons were not covered by the scheme, he did not think he could consider a small number. The chairman, Mr. Justice Finlay: Do you think dividends should be published? Would publication have the effect of encouraging betting? Witness: The average dividend paid throughout New Zealand is not large, and would not tend to increase the number of bettors, or attract young people. It dividends were announced over the air 1 it might give better information of a bettor's position,, .said His Honour. A person might then be encouraged to bet to cover his losses, or he might invest his winnings. Price Broadcast Unwise Macfarlane said he had not considered the broadcasting of prices, but he thought it might be wise not to announce prices on the air. He had referred, more particularly, to the publication of prices in the newspapers. “Generally speaking, the registered bookmaker is a decent man, but where bookmakers operate there is always a class of parasites unknown to New Zealand sports," said George Bennett Noble. Referring to bookmaking in Australia, he said that live years ago he came from Australia as a private trainer and stud master to Mr. J. H. McKenzie. In New South Wales and Victoria he- had experience of betting systems where the totalisator and bookmakers, registered and unregistered .operated. “Professional urgers, crushers and manipulators of o(jds” were described as a class which made its living on the Australian racecourses, lowering the status of the sport and introducing sharp practices. The absence of such practices in New Zealand was pleasing to visitors with a knowledge of racing overseas," he added.