Former Bookmaker Contends N.Z. Racing is Unclean

Grey River Argus, 17 April 1947, Page 6

Former Bookmaker Contends N.Z. Racing is Unclean

AUCKLAND, April 15. Agreeing in cross-examination that he was a former member of the Dominion Sportsmen’s Association, Henry Clifton Sallery said before the Gaming Commission to-day that racing was “unclean” in New Zealand, in spite of the whitewash that had been put on the black sheep by persons who had previously given evidence. Everyone, he said, had heard of horses • paying sensational dividends, but they were not aware of what was behind them. Stating a case for the licensing of course bookmakers 1 , and also offcourse bookmaking under the supervision of the taxation authorities, the witness argued that nothing would bring about any beneficial change unless this means bookmaking could be made a legitimate business, just the same as any other enterprise, and it was a mistake to imagine that the totalisator was productive of the most honest form of racing. His experience in New Zealand had been quite contrary. Revealing the extent of under-cov-er betting, he said in every shop, office or factory in New Zealand an agent for a bookmaker or “a small fry book-maker with hand-made double chart,”' was in active commission. The question of betting shop's was as antiquated as the gaming laws of this country, and wherever the shop method had been tried out it had proved a failure. At present bookmakers were used as a medium for placing large sums in order that good returns could be obtained from the totalisator without contributing towards taxation. Jockeys were “got at,” and stipendiary stewards were powerless to dp much. Without detracting from the honesty of stewards as a body, he would say they were in the wrong place, and a system of absolute control should be vested in paid stipendiary stewards.