THE TOTALISATOR.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXVIII, Issue 9356, 27 April 1893, Page 4

THE TOTALISATOR.

Sir,— At the ensning session of Parlia> . mend there is reason to believe that an attempt will be made to abolish tho totalisator. This movement is viewed with disfavor by some and with favor by others, bnt the supporters of the machine and Its opponents base their arguments about the subject on such a variety of grounds that many people are unable to judge between them. The supporters of the machine say ttmt it is the fairest way of betting, and that it also gives a large revenue to the clubß. lam with them on the first part of the argument, except that the percentage takcD out of the investments is fatal to one and all using tho instrument. At the great gaming casino of Monte Carlo the odds are exactly 3 per cent in favor of the bank. At tho recent meeting of the directorate, a dividend of 41 per cent was declared. The profits must have been enormous, a 9 the capital is large and the expenditure is also of considerable magnitude. The percentage in favor of the machine is from 10 to 12 per cent, so you can see at a glance which has the greatest pull. The other portion of the argument, that the clubs receive a large revenue from the gambling propensities of the community, may be admirable in some respects ; equally it may not. That the numerous mushroom clubs that are dotted over the country should receive any revenne at all Is an unmitigated evil, and proves conclusively that the larger dabs have failed lamentably in their duty. There are 48 dubi under the jurisdiction of the Auckland Racing Club, who themselves hold about eight days' raoing during the year, while, the remainder of the clubs, raoßt of which are mere country "leather flapping" fixtures, hold from from two to five days' races each per year. If you take the trouble to calculate 'the amount invested by the public at these meetings In one district only, and deduct 10 per cent to get at the gross taking's of these clubs, I venture to say, sir, that you will find a good field for thought. As this kind of thing goes on all over the colony, and people are able to bet with agents on every racing fixtnre in the colony, I think that any man who in the face of this says that the totalisator is not used by the clubs as a direct invitation to the people to gamble is either a fool or n rogne. It is not, however, the nse of the totalisator that is bad, but its abuse by every club in the colony. If its use had been properly curtailed there would not be the present agitation. If it is abolished this session I think it will be for the good of the community and for the purification of the turf. Half of the clubs would co under, the bookmakers wonld have a narrow and unprofitable field to work on, and the machine would in course of time be restored, and the persons who were entrusted to grant its use would have profited by the experience gained, That it should be used in the present fashion cannot be right. There mnst be abont half a million of money a year bandied in the machines throngbout the colony, and that handled by agents would swell it by a considerable amount. Tbe bookmaker may or may not be desirable, and it is alleged that he entices people to bet v Even if he did he would not succeed so" well as the clubs now do ; and another '"«: is equally certain, that the book-thi.-i. would not handle half or quarter makers . ->f money the totalisator does, the amount v. •* then it is obvious that If this is accepter, lessened ; a thiDg gambling ■would be . irely desire to which all people would s^ ->kmakers see. It is also said that hot,. in"encourage shopboys and clerks to -^ proprlate their employers' cash, besides getting them to run into debt." Well, in Melbourne I know that the bookmakers do not show a rabid desire to pursue " shopboys and clerks " with invitations to bet. That kind of argument is the greatest humbug. A delinquent of tbe kind mentioned would, in the event of - beiDg apprehended, try to get np a little mob sympathy, and plead that be " had been enticed to bet." The idea of takrbg a statement of this kind from an admitted thief is ridiculous. However, I am not; one who yearns for the bookie, bnt I certainly think that the present abnse of the machine and the existence of so many clubs in the colony is an indefensible scandal. The following extract from a recent article in the Australasian on the übject of the totalisator in New Zealand may be interesting to your readers : — " It has been vain to point out to them that their action would result in depriving clubs of their main factor of success. Their notion is to get what they can out of the machine, while it lasts, and when their good time comes to an end they care little how legitimate clubs fare. To these people the welfare of the turf generally is a matter of no consequence, provided their own little saddle flapping meeting is not to continue to disfigure tho pages of the 'Calendar.'. So tar from heeding the warnings of the leaders of the turf, these promoters have gone on extending their operations, until now,. our informant; tells us, every little bush publlchouse has its so-called raoing, club, and the totali sator Is in nse at aU. its . meetings. Small wonder that this .sorb, oi thing shonld disgust all right-thinking people, .And. cause them to join with the anti-totali-sator party in an endeavor , to, abolish the machine, and thns pnt an end to its being, used for the purpose of bolstering up sucb bastard fixtures." —I am, &c., Leveb. April 26, 1893, , . -