Australian Witness On Bookmakers And Racing

Northern Advocate, 15 March 1947, Page 4

Australian Witness On

Bookmakers And Racing

(P.A.)

1-1 (P.A.) WELLINGTON, This Day. ! Evidence by Mr H. G. Warburton. e racing reporter lor Associated Newspapers. Sydney, with 27 year.',’ expends ence in Australia and New Zealand and (- a short period in England, was given n for the New Zealand Racing Confer- ” once before the Gaming Commission. ! The average owner in Australia, unless he had a horse which could compete for big stakes, would have to bet if he was to race for profit, said Mr Warburton. The average small owner in New Zealand was much better equipped and • more comfortable than in Australia. 3 Tasmania was the only Australian state permitting off-course betting. The average price by bookmakers 2 would be slightly less than the aver--1 age dividend returned by the totalisator, but early bettors with book- ' makers got a better price. J Figures showed that bookmakers 1 handled more than the totalisator, but there was a tendency to swing to the , machine and for clubs to develop 1 more totalisator facilities with a reduction of bookmakers. RESULTS INFLUENCED? The main objection to the operation of bookmakei’s on the course was the ( suggestion that, with big money at , stake, results wei’e influenced. At times there was more than a mere . I suspicion that a race result was not what it might have been. ! Betting shops had almost ruined ; racing in South Australia. The war saw racing there stopped for two years, and a fresh start was made without betting shops. They had previously been tried in j New South Wales, but were a social ! evil and had to be stopped. Apart from night trotting at Perth, the rest of trotting in Australia would I not compare with that in New Zealand. In Australia valuable horses were! j usually under surveillance and the j favourite particularly so, with armed guards, dogs and so on. The inference was that any attempts at interference would be by persons with a strong financial interest in the ' result. BETTING SHOPS To Dr O. C. Mazengarb. for seven Associated Churches, witness said that South Australian betting shops had been owned by bookmakers and were | well-equipped to attract customers. Soft drinks were served, there were radios, parking places for perambuiatI ors and so on. including at a later j stage, location near hotels.