BETTING LAWS

Grey River Argus, 1 December 1938, Page 3

BETTING LAWS

In South Australia

REPORT OF COMMISSION.

The report of the Royal Commission in South Australia on betting laws and practice was tabled recently. The commissioners were Messrs H. B. (now Mr. Justice) Piper, K. F. V. Sanderson (stipendiary magistrate) and S. Powell (accountant). Their inquiry lasted 12 months, and evidence was taken in all States except West Australia.

Prior to 1933 legal betting was restricted to the totalisator but illegal betting with bookmakers had reached the proportions of a scandal. With the legalisation of the bookmakers a betting control board was established. It consisted of the chairman (a former politician), the Commissioner of Police and a third member. The first third member was the secretary of two racing clubs and the present is a leading hotelkeeper. The board has power to license betting shops and draw up betting rules. Some of the many interesting facts established by the commission are: (1) That there were, prior to the 1933 Act, 643 illegal bookmakers operating in as many known places. (2) That

the money which changed hands yearly in the illegal days was £2,600,000 at the most. (For the financial year ended June 30, 1938, the amount involved was £7,740,912). (3) That betting is more widespread; more

people are betting because of the [betting shop service. (Of the 36,548,706 bets made in 1937-38, approximately five per cent, only were made on the courses on local races; that is, races that the betters saw sun). ’ (4) That in the illegal days the police, while showing commendable activity in many directions, were not forced to use their most powerful weapon—the section of the 1927 Act which gave them power to apply to the Supreme Court to have premises declared common gaming

houses. (The Commissioner of Police in his evidence stated that he had not been prepared to take this course: Commenting on this the report says: “We consider that the Commissioner misunderstood his functions in regard to this section and exaggerated his difficulties.”) (5) That “the chief reason for the present (bad) condition of horse racing is off-the-course betting.”

The Commission submitted the draft of an amending bill and also made a great number of recommendations, of which the following are outstanding: That the Betting Control Board shall consist of a chairman, a stipendiary magistrate and a chartered accountant (the reasons for the exclusion of the Commissioner of Police on general policy were set out at length). That registered betting premises shall not be open on any day between 1.30 p.m. and 5 p.m. or after 6 p.m.

“ARMCHAIR RIDES." STEWARD WARNS JOCKEYS. The chairman of the A.J.C. stewards, Mr. G. Williams, issued a warning at Rosehill recently to jockeys who believe that, because they are on horses with little winning chance, they can sit still and enjoy an armchair ride.

The warning arose from an inquiry into the handling of the 1,150 gns. colt, First Movement, in the Macquarie Handicap, after which the jockey, L. Sawyer, was censured severely. “In evidence, R. Bruce, ownertrainer of First Movement, stated that, as far as he had been able to judge, the horse was no good,” explained Mr. Williams

“But the stewards are not to know that, and' it does not concern them. Our duty on a racecourse is to use our own eyesight and our own judgment. And when we see a Jockey sit still on a runner, from start to finish, as we consider Sawyer did, we must make inquiries. At all times, the stewards will demand explanations from jockeys who refrain from displaying any vigour at any stage of a race,” declared the chief steward. 1 NOT RELATED. BUT ALL WINNERS. Melbourne racing this spring has been remarkable for the success of the Jamiesons, none of whom is related. .

Mrs Jamieson, through' her remarkable Melbourne Cup winner, Catalogue, achieved most fame, but she did not have a monopoly. The Randwick trainer, J. T. Jamieson, won four races in Melbourne, two with Esperanto and two with Early Bird. Like Catalogue's owner, he came originally from New Zealand.

Latest of the Jamiesons to appear in the'limelight is A. R. Jamieson, who has turned out Manolive to break two records —one at Flemington and one in the Williamstown Cup—and also win the Eclipse Stakes at Caulfield last Saturday. He comes from West Australia.

CATALOGUE’S NEXT. There has been much speculation as to when Catalogue will race again, and statements have been made that he ’ would be seen in action at Ellerslie at Christmas. However, it seems probable that Catalogue’s next outing will be at Trentham during the Wellington summer meeting. Catalogue’s appearance does not suggest that he will be ready to race any sooner. When he appeared at Feild>ng on Saturday he had not fully recovered from the effects of his trip, but he should be in much better shape by Wellington Cup Day. Catalogue ran second to Padishah in the last Wellington Cup. The parading of Catalogue and Wotan, two Melbourne , Cup winners, created considerable interest at Feilding. There was a big crowd present and x the horses were applauded when they ran along the straight together. A little later Wotan comfortably won the Manchester Handicap, the principal event of the day. Wotan had not won a race since he won the Feilding Cup last Easter. AUCKLAND R.C. HANDICAPS. AUCKLAND, November 29. Weights for the principal events at the Auckland Racing Club’s summer

meeting on December 26, December 28, and January 2 are:—

First Day.

AUCKLAND CUP, of £2550. Two miles. —Padishah 9.0, Willie Win 8.12, Floodtide, Argentic, Wild Chase, The Buzzer 8.11, Arctic King 8.10, Round Up, Mazir, Trench Flight 8.8, Quadroon 8.4, Wotan 8.3, Master Brierly 8.2, Cerne Abbas 7.12, Valamito 7.11, Malagigi 7.10, Knight of Australia, Francis Drake, Dictate 7.6, Kelly 7.4, Sly Fox, Kena, Gay Rose, The Bigot 7.3, Tidewaiter 7.1, Armacourt, Boomerang, Birthday Boy, Bon Star, Barrister, Conveyor, Coronation, Cheval de Volee, Erination, Galteemore Gold Vaals, Happy Landing Happy Night, Melvanui, Palmint, Parquet, Paddy the Rip, Roaming,' Rojnan, Skyway, I Silver River Shy 7.0. I RAILWAY HANDICAP,- of £lOOO.- 1

Six furlongs.—Stretto 9.7, Courtcraft 9.5, Paper Slipper 9.3, Oratory, Smoke Screen 8.12, Llangollen, Orate .8,10, Dungarvan 8.8, Whirling 8.6, Marib’S' Acre 8.5, Surmount, Te Hero 8.3, Suleiman, Alunga 8.2, Laughing Lass 7.13, Racecall 7.12, Paddy the Rip, Philcourt 7.11. Farland 7.9, Golden Shelia 7.9, Rollicker, Counterblast 7.8, Royal Bachelor 7.7, Dark Shadow 7.6, Sir Abb 7.5, Royevrus, Silver Jubilee,! Disdain 7.4, Palustre 7.2, Anion, Arvakur, Bachelor King, Calorie, Friskland, Galilee, Hunting Blood, Lornacre, Maxam, Mon Acre, Miss Te Koura, Nightcalm, Noitaro, Nelumba, 1 Pasture, Pirate King, Romani, Sir Tommy, Surella, Summary, Te Monowai, Vadanoe, White Doll 7.0.