Manawatu Evening Standard. Circulation, 3.500 Copies Daily. MONDAY, MARCH 22, 1909. A RACECOURSE EVIL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 8829, 22 March 1909, Page 4

Manawatu Evening Standard. Circulation, 3.500 Copies Daily. MONDAY, MARCH 22, 1909. A RACECOURSE EVIL.

One or two effects not anticipated in connection ,, with the Gaming, Act of 1907 are beginning to make their appearance in an form. The legalising of betting., except through the ; > totalisator ha& given a standing to a class which before had no legal place in the community, and as a result sharpers, spielers, threecard men, and other swindlers are now the concomitants of the. racecourses. The licensed bookmakers themselves cannot, of course, be included in this category,, but in an indirect way bookmaking has brought on to the courses a dangerous element which has 1 found its way into- the life of the community. Not a race ceeting passes now but one hears of people being robbed, in some instances of considerable sum* of money.,: -Hbilfct at the same time the country -in vicinity of the courses.is overrun with an army of loafers, and spielers vho get to work with such celerity and dexterity , that honest people are constrained to walk about all day long with their hands in their pockets and to pay particular attention to their locks and bars. The existence of this state of things is a matter of common knowledge, and has now been brought under the notice of the Minister for Justice, Dr Findlay. He says that so far as the licensed bookmakers are concerned the police reports have disclosed no improprieties, but he intends *o continue the present system of police observation upon bookmakers and their doings, as well "as upon the consequences of their presence upon racecourses, and should the occasion justify it there will be ho hesitation on the part of the Government to take legal steps to prevent or suppress abuses. " I have always expressed to those who are interested in the cleanliness of our racecourses the opinion that I should be glad to receive reliable information which will enable me to keep the courses free from objectionable methods and undesirable characters," said Dr Findlay. It is to be feared, however, that nothing short of the abolition of the bookmakers will remove this, canker from the community. Those who have gone into the matter say that the totalisator has a majority in the House, and that a test vote will be taken when Parliament meete. The opponents of the bookmakers will be able to bring forward arguments that the experience of the past eighteen months has .given, so that the probabilities are that this year will see a new development of the matter.