TOTALISATOR INVESTMENTS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 2 June 1928, Page 5

TOTALISATOR INVESTMENTS.

AN INTERESTING POINT. CHARGE AGAINST TROTTING CLUB OFFICIAL. LBV TKi.HGKAPH—PBESB ASSOCIATION.! CHRISTCHURCH, June 1. At the Magistrate’s Court to-day, Hamid E. USoggin, acting secretary of the Metropolitan Trotting Club, was charged that on March 11 he did unlawfully permit to be received an investment on the totalisator otherwise than on the totalisator itself. Mr. Donnelly, the Clown .Prosecutor, said that the charge concerned a window in the members’ stand and a window in the stewards’ stand, at which patrons could invest on the totalisator. He said that this system had very grave issues. There was possibility of abuse if ticKets were allowed to be sold at windows which had no direct connection with the totalisator. If a strict construction were put on the Act it might bo found that the outside “tote’’ was also unlawful, but it was connected by telephone, etc., to the main machine. The windows in the stands were not synchronised, however, and there was no physical connection with the main machine. Mr. 'Thomas, for the defence, said that the Act was intended to prevent betting outside the course. The term “totalisator” included all impedimenta for carrying on a wager on a course. If one had a right to pay away from the main totalisator house, one was entitled to pay in at the stand windows. Decision was reserved.