ESTABLISHED 1866. The Marlborough Express TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 1920. THE TELEGRAPH AND THE "TOTE."

Marlborough Express, Volume LIV, Issue 86, 13 April 1920, Page 4

ESTABLISHED 1866. The Marlborough Express TUESDAY, APRIL 13, 1920. THE TELEGRAPH AND THE "TOTE."

In a certain degree the gambling spirit is inherent in the average man. It is certainly not prominent by its absence in the average New Zealander. But because it may be considered as an inclination or weakness which is natural to the average man, that is no reason why it should not be regarded as a social evil and, as such, to bo discouraged, and, as far as may be possible without unduly entrenching upon the legitimate liberty of the subject, to be prevented by such action as the authorities have it in their power to undertake. Undoubtedly in New Zealand and Australia the practice of gambling on the results of horse races has attained such proportions as to become a, menace to the better life of the community. The New Zealander is a keen lover of sport, and with honestly conducted sport there should be j no interference. It is, however, a J

very different matter when, under the pretence of interest in the sport of horse-racing, tens of thousands of people indulge, some of them three or four times a week, in betting transactions. The enormous increa.se of late in the sums wiiich have been "invested"—to use an unintentionally ironic colloquialism—on the totalisator at various meetings, more particularly those held during the Christmas and Easter holidays, may well give cause for deep and anxious thought by those who desire to see the Dominion's moral progress on a par with its increase in material prosperity. A vast proportion of this money is "invested" by speculators who do not personally attend tho race meetings, but who, many of them, reside many miles distant from the centres where the races are held.

This journal has always contended that of the two evils, totalisator and bookmaker, the former is by far the less objectionable. If sportsmen would attend only the race meetings held in their own districts, plus an occasional visit to one or other of the big "racing carnivals" held in the cities, and if they would confine their betting transactions to the meetings they actually attend, the enormous total "invested" on the totalisator in the course of tho year would speedily exhibit a most substantial reduction. But as a matter of fact, there is probably no race meeting held within the Dominion which is not mad© the means of heavy gambling by a large number of persons residing at a distance. This is done through' the bookmakers and racecourse agents. The "tote" has not abolished tho bookmaker, as it was predicted and hoped would be the case. On the contrary, there are few centres of population, however relatively small, in which a bookmaker is not to be found carrying on what for him, if not for his patrons, is a very profitable business. That this has been possible has been the fault of the Government. It is now many years ago since this journal, which has every sympathy and liking for honest racing and the breeding of a good class of horse, but none whatever with what has become a widespread curse of gambling, advocated the prohibition by the Telegraph Department of all messages relating to beta on horse races. We welcome, therefore, the announcement which was made in our columns on Friday last by the Department, which has at last taken action in this' matter of betting by telegraph, and has published'a series of; regulations which, if strictly and. . justly enforced, should do much to reduce the volume of gambling in'this country, cbrifining it to fairly ;l^gitimate t; channels. No telegrams which evidently relate to besfhg [transactions or-.which, in code, may be reasonably suspected of being in such relation, are; in;. future to bo transmitted "by the Department. This should have tho effect of; largely diminishing the amount invested on the ' totalisatb'r at the i various [race meetings, for it means that the, outside ..''investor,"1 through [the agency of a "'man on'the 'spot," willmot! be ablei to "wire to the course"I'to "put on" this, that, or other amount. The bookmaker who wants to "lay off" some of the money on his book by telegraphing to a friend or t agent in a centre where a meeting is being held to operate for him on the machine will now find this impossible, or at least very difficult, of accomplishment.

It cannot be too widely declared and more firmly emphasised' that betting on horse races is on© of the most foolish and evil practices in which young men can indulge, and yet, largely through the assistance of the Telegraph Department, this particular evil has of late years' been quite sensationally! on the increase. If a young man/or for that matter, any, man, visits his local racecourse two or three times a year and "backs his fancy" in some modest sum, no great harm is done, although, from an economic and strictly moral point of view, even such limited indulgence in gambling as this implies is to be deprecated rather than encouraged. But when young fellows, whose earnings are no more than sufficient for their keep, dress, and the contribution of a. certain sum to the assistance of their parents, indulge, as so many thousands of New Zealanders have been in the habit of doing, in gambling on horse races, not twice or thrice a year, but twice or thrice a week,-no stupid cry of "wowsers" should deter the press and the leading public men of the Dominion from denouncing a practice which top often involves very serious harm to the gamblers and their families. The Government has waited a very long time to provide a check upon "outside" gambling which should have been imposed through the Telegraph Department , many years ago. In the meantime ] how many young men have brought ruin on themselves and shame and sorrow' upon their parents and friends by acts of dishonesty clearly traceable to an indulgence in, gambling. We congratulate the Government upon at last having taken a step which is undeniably in the right direction. It is a case of "better late than never," and we sincerely trust that as the result the yearly volume of gambling on horse races may soon show a very substantial diminution.

LOUAL & GL^IKAL ftLWS

A meeting of Canterbury potatogrowers decided on Saturday to ask the Board of Trade to fix the price of potatoes for the ensuing year.

An electrical totalisator has been installed at Trentham. It is said to be superior to that in use on the Ellerslie course and will be used for the meeting this week.

Owing to the depletion of the staff through influenza, The Express is being published under some difficulty. The jobbing department is also affected, and work will ■ be somewhat der layed.

The Dominion Butter Committee will meet the Prime Minister on Friday to discuss the disposal of next season's exportable surplus. The discussion will have relation to recent cablegrams on the subject.

Messrs Cann and Walter have been appointed Chief Agents for Mairlborough for the Norwich Union Fire Insurance Society Ltd., and are prepared to accept all risks ot lowest current- rates.

A Palmerston North message states that Harry Deeley, charged with the murder of Mary Ebheline Webby at Palmerston North on or about March 17th, appeared ,at the Magistrate's Court yesterday, and was remanded for eight days.

A Wellington Press Association message states that the executive of the A.S.R.S. had an interview with Mr Massey yesterday afternoon. Discussion of the matters at issue between the Society and the Department was not concluded, and the interview will be resumed to-day. ,

Mr E. H. Penny has received a telegram from Mr D. J. Seymour, oragniser for the Workers'; Educational Association, who was to have addressed a meeting in Blenheim tonight, stating that under doctor's orders he has been reluctantly compelled to postpone the meeting in the meantime.

A young man named Edward G. Congdon was charged in the Magistrate's Court at Blenheim to-day with the theft at Wellington, on February 24th, of a pair of boots, a dozen linen collars, and two silk handkerchiefs, the property of Thomas Ei-ridge, of the value of £3 10s. He was remanded to appear at Wellington to-morrow. ,

; Charged before Mr P. L. HollingiS, S.M., to-day with that he did drive a motor car across the footpath at the corner of Maxwell Road and Howick Road, Frank Wilson said that in taking his course inside the lamp post he only did what was commonly done by motorists going round that .corner, The by-laws ranger replied that;the defendant happened to_ be caught,; others, had not been: caught, but they might be. A fine was imposed of £1 with 7s costs. :■

*The 'report'of the* Board_ of Engineersappointed to 'investigate^'the harbor position at Gisborne has been received. It recommends the construction ,of'':a. hikbor .^off; Kaiw Beach, enclosing 170 acres. The depth will be 42 feet. Which, will, accommodate • sfche largest ' ocean-going liriers. The cost''is estimated .at £i; 500,000, and the Harbor Board will b© required to find.£100 ? 000 in 'revenue annually", -which it is suggested could be done by ■ increasing the port djues.and by imposing a half-penny rate on £1.5,000,000 of rateable value within .the district.

Only about half the subscribers to the Blenheim Telephone Exchange have so far responded to the Chief Postmaster's' invitation to state whether or not they are in favor of a continuous service, and, if favorable, which 'of the two methods of defraying the extra cost they prefer. A two-thirds majority is required in order to bring, either scheme into effect, so that if a good niany more favorable replies are not sent in the proposal will be lost and tho opportunity of securing a firwtclass telephone" system will go by default.

A rjumber of breaches of the bylaws, the informations as to which I were laid by Mr C. Pa-tchett, by-laws ranegr, were dealt with by Mr P. L. Hollings, S.M., to-day. Arnold Van AscJi pleaded guilty to driving a. motor-car along Main Street at a speed exceeding. J. 5 miles an hour, b)ut explained that an urgent call had bean received in connection with the serious illness of a relative in tho North Island, and ho had to catch the steamer at Picton. A fine •of 10s with 7s costs was imposed. Thomas Davies^ jun., and Humphrey Wolforstan. both of whom had been fined for similar offences previously, pleaded not guilty to charges of riding in High Street at o. speed greater than 15 miles an hxwr. After hearing the evidence of Mr John McKenzie, who raid that he wos acting in tho public interest in complaining about the reckless riding, the Magistrate fined each cyclist £5 with Bs/ costs. Mr MoKenzie would not accept any payment for witness's expenses. In the absence of tho defendant, the charge against James Williams of having driven si raptor-car along Market Street North at a speed exceeding 15 miles :m hour, was adjourned. Percy Vercoo, who failed to cany a light on his bicycle when riding at nighttimo was lined 10s with 7s costs.

Lieut.-ColonelO. H. Mead, D.5.0., is on a short visit to Blenheim.

The concluding article by "Faa Samoa" on the Parliamentary trip to the South Seas is published in today's issue. Other reading-matter on the inside pages includes Sports and Pastimes and "Herb Culture."

The influenza epidemic is still making its presence felt in Blenheim. Fresh cases are occurring daily, and a considerable number of people—adults as well as children— are incapacitated. Generally the cases are of a mild description, though there have been two fatal cases of pneumonic mfluenza.

Mr E. R. Neale, who for the ptist live years has been a member of the staff of Messrs Griffiths Bros., Ltd., leaves Blenheim next week to take up his residence in Nelson, where he will go into business with Mr J. E. Milner as land agents and accountants. During his residence in Blenheim Mr Neale has taken a prominent part in cricket and hockey matters, both as player and as administrator, and those branches of sport will be the poorer for his loss.

* A Christchurch Press Association telegram reports the death of Dr Courtney Nedwill, aged 83 years, one of the early medical practitioners of Ohristchurch. He came to New Zealand in 1863. He was one of the surgeons to the hospital _for over thirty years. He also held the position of health officer for Chri.stchurch. He was associated with rifle shooting, cricket, and lawn tennis, being president of the Canterbury Tennis Association for many years.

An Auckland Press Association message states that although the supplies of coal at the mines have improved, the lack of shipping has resulted hi reducing stocks at the Gas Company's works to an extent which threatens the actual cutting off of the gas supply. There is barely sufficient coal in store to keep, the works running until Monday next, and the company's engineer and manager have advised the directors that it will be expedient to reduce the pressure after 7.30 p.m. on Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday next, in order to economise in the consumption of coal. * ■ .

Th 6 Co"intihic, which arrived at. V/ellingtm oil Saturday, : .vbrought. 120 nominated passengep and dv overseas settlement soldiers. Ine Tainui, on April 2nd, .brought 21A nominated v pasengers, 35 Imperial ex-soldiers, and ; 120 passengers nominated by the Ministry; of ■ Shipping, the War Office, and the, Royal Air Fores. The Imperial ex^soldiers are being sent out by the Imperial Government independently of the , Dominion Government. Other ships are bringing more nominated passengers. Mr Massey states that there are enough intending immigrants ■waiting in England to take up all the available shipping space for tine next sis months.

While troopship, No 60, witti the. Fifteenth Reinforcements on. board, was making the voyage from Wellington to England a bottle containing letters was thrown overboard south of Tasmania. After drifting for 3£ years the bottle was picked up by natives at the New Hebrides and given to a missionary, who forwarded the contents to-Wel-lington. One of the letters states: "The boys on troopship No 60 are all doing well, considering the rough passage they have had. Everything is first-class. The 15th N.ZF.A. are 'pie on', espeeiallv those of hut 179_Gunner E. S. White, Gunner J. E. Tunnington, Gunner W. Page." The New Hebrides are between 2000 and 2500 miles from the point at-which the bottle was thrown overboard from the troopship.

Additional deails of the distressing fatality in the League match played at . Greymoufch between Addington (Christohurch) and combined Kohinoor and Runangc*, by which, a player named R. M. F.. Hall (Addington) was mortally injured, are to hand. They show that during thd second spell Hill jumped to intercept a high pass, but fell beneath another pJayer. At that tiime the game was stopped for an infringement of the rules. HiiHi so* uj> and Attemptod' to continue. He was not noticed; agaii for, several seconds, whett; ho was seen to be on the srround. Htj was conscious., and was "i-aivied! off and a doctor called. The game proceeded, but was stopped close cjn time, when it was made known tharf* Hill had died.. His. last words were; "I got a nasty knock.' Deceased was twenty-two, yeara of age, and leaves a widowed mother.

If you are inclined to bo particular about' .the appearance of your motoring equipage, consider the Maxwell from different points of view. The body, life the chassis, is strictly a Maxwell product, being I milt complete in the Maxwell shops, even to the deeper, softer upholstery furnished on all Maxwell models this year. The Maxwell pleasure car has finished a five-year course in the school of experience, ' Call and inspect 1920 models >t Birch's Garage, High Street, Blenheim. F. J. Thurston, direct importer.—Advt.