THE BLOT ON RACING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVI, Issue 17230, 5 August 1919, Page 9

THE BLOT ON RACING.

PRACTICE OF BOOKMAKING.

NEED FOR SUPPRESSION.

HON. ,E. MITCHELSON'S VIEWS.

" Every effort is still being made by the committee to rid the turf of the undesirable element that has in the past done 60 much to cause people to look upon racing as an evil," said the Hon. E. Mitchelson, in his presidential address at the annual meeting of the Auckland Racing Club yesterday. " And still there is much to be done before racing can be looked upon without suspicion. The main blot remaining is the bookmaker. It is somewhat remarkable Chat hitherto the law has failed to bring about this most desirable reform. Betting is still being carried on in a large way in all parts of the country in open defiance of the law, and much to the detriment of legitimate and fair racing, for it is an open secret that many owners and the public generally are ieeling the evil effects caused through the influence of the bookmakers and their friends on some of our trainers and jockeys. Something must soon be done if this great and growing evil is to be remedied.

"Betting through the medium of the totalisator having been sanctioned by law." he continued, " the Government by every means possible should assist in purifying the turf by the absolute and complete suppression of bookmaking. One way of assisting in this great reform is by giving effect to the resolutions that were carried in Wellington by the Racing and Trotting Conferences, viz., to allow double betting on the totalisator to be resumed. This in itself will not altogether remedy the evil, although it will go a long way in that direction. It is during a race meeting that bookmakers reap a large harvest in consequence of those at a distance from the scene of racing being prevented from using the telegraph offices to remit money to the secretaries of clubs to make investments for them on the totalisator. If this privilege were reinstated together with the resumption of double betting on the machine, the reign of the bookmaker would be ended, the revenue of the Dominion largely augmented, and racing clubs put in a position to increase stakes and employ a greater number of hands. " Prior to bookmakers being prevented from plying their vocations on racecournes the State derived little revenue compared with what is now received, and racing clubs were unable to give much in stakes or make* any great improvements on their properties. In 1911, when there were 11 days' racing only, £29,815 was given away in stakes by the Auckland Racing Club, whereas in 1918-19, with only nine days' racing, £39,550 was paid in stakes. During the same period the Auckland Racing Club has expended on the purchase of properties, on buildings, improvements to the racecourse and tracks £67,468. Such expenditure would not have been possible under the old regime." Another great reform that was necessary, said Mr. Mitchelaon, was to have all trainers' and jockeys' licenses issued by the conference and not by the district committees, which no doubt did their best, but were always open tc local influence. The motion moved by the president of the conference, to give effect to this, had been defeated by* a narrow majority, and it was to be hoped that the proposal would be carried at the meeting of the conference in July next.