HOLIDAY BETTING INCREASE

Northern Advocate, 3 January 1936, Page 6

HOLIDAY BETTING INCREASE

FIGURES FOR N.Z. HEAVIEST FOR YEARS. , ELLERSLIE TOTAL WELL UP (Special to "Northern Advocate”! AUCKLAND. This Day. TMIE total amount of betting investments this holiday season totalled £686,145, compared with £606,953 during the Christmas and New Year holidays of 1934-35, an increase of approximately 13 per cent.

In the 1933-34 holiday season the totalisator investments amounted to £619,659, in 1932-33 to £568.390, in 1931-32 to £629,296, and in 1930-31 to £891,560. In 1929-30 the amount was £1,177,660, or nearly double this year’s total. It has always been said that totalisator records in the past have proved a true indication of the community’s spending power, and the improved economic situation of the Dominion would seem to be reflected in this year’s figures.

Auckland Meetings

During the three days of the Auck- ' land > Trotting Club’s meeting at Alexandra Park, a total of passed through the totalisator, compared with £75,563 the previous year. At the first day’s racing at Ellerslie there was a lafge attendance, the totalisator investments amounting to £76,928, compared with £75,274 on the first day of the 1934-35 season. Owing to rain, the second day’s returns fell to £33,675, compared with £33,867. On the third day betting increased to £55,921, an increase of about £IO,BOO, while yesterday’s investments amounted to £42,329, compared with £32,625 last year. The increase for the meeting was almost £22,000. The totalisator returns at the vari”ous racing and trotting meetings held throughout the Dominion during the holidays are set out in the following comparative table: — Racing. This year Last year

* Three days, compared with two last year, t First day’s races only. tt Second day abandoned owing to fain. Trotting. This year Last year

* -Two days compared with one last year.

£ £ Auckland .... 208,854 186,893 Manawatu 56,707 49,510 Stratford t 17,592 28,645 Dunedin 33,973 25,237 Taranaki 30,993 22,092 Wairarapa 27,868 18,912 Hawke’s Bay 16,014 13,970 Mar ton tt 23,828 15,783 Greymouth t 7,087 8,612 Oamaru 9,783 8,203 Waikouaiti 18,210 15,145 Southland t 14,862 26,082 Westland * 16,654 8,549’ Wyndham 13,271 11,464 Waipukurau 4,844 4,422 Total .... £500,540 £443,519

£ £ Auckland 76,428 75,563 Canterbury Park . 48,368 36,326 Ashburton 21,751 ' 17,203 Westport 10,563 8,895 Gore 12,936 13,072 Winton 9,377 9,017 Wairarapa * 6,187 3,353 Total . £185,605 £163,434