TOTALISATOR BETTING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXII, Issue 19168, 6 November 1925, Page 13

TOTALISATOR BETTING.

ADVOCACY IN VICTORIA.

BILL TO BE INTRODUCED

DISCUSSION OF PROSPECTS

A meeting of the Victorian State Cabinet was held recently to consider threats made by members at the meetings of Nationalist and Country Party members of -both Houses of the State Parliament, that they would refuse to vote for any increases in State taxation unless the Ministry considered the question of legalising the totalisator to raise additional taxation. Subsequently it was learned that it had been decided by the Cabinet to introduce a bill providing for the legalisation of the totalisator. Efforts will be made to introduce the the end of the present session, but this may not be found to be possible. After the Cabinet meeting, the Treasurer, Mr. Allan, in reply to a question whether the bookmakers would be allowed to continue to operate alongside the totalisator, as is the case in New South Wales, said that details of the measure had not yet been considered. It is believed that the Ministry will make inquiries in other States before deciding'on the exact nature of the bill which it will submit to the House. This may necessitate a postponement of the introduction of the measure until next year. If the bill is introduced and passed this year it will probably become operative at the beginning of the next financial year. It is believed that one of .the principal factors which influenced Ministers in their decision to take steps to legalise the totalisator, says the Melbourne Argus, was _ the knowledge that of the amount received by the Ministry as percentage on " investments," a large sum could be devoted to meeting the ever-growing needs of the charitable institutions of the State. On several occasions Mr. Allan has expressed himself as being in favour of the establishment of the totalisator as a means : of raising money for charities. Fate of a Previous Bill. The last occasion on which a bill providing for the totalisator was introduced into the Victorian Legislative Assembly was in August, 1922, when a private member's measure was submitted by Mr. Morlev, a Nationalist member. After a debate which lasted for two days and included an all-night sitting, this bill was rejected by 41 votes to 15 on the motion for the second reading. Of the nine Legislative Assembly members now in the Ministry, including the secretary Mr. Groves, only three voted for the measure. They were the Chief Secretary, Dr. Argvle, the Minister for Agriculture Mr. Bouchier, and the Minister for Lands Mr. Downward. Present members of the Cabinet who oppose® Mr. Morley's bill were:—the Premier Mr. Allen. Sir Alexander Peacock, the Attorney-General Mr. Eggleston, Messrs. McDonald and Mackrell, honorary Ministers, and Mr. Groves. Three members of the Labour Party voted against the bill, and 15 supported it. Although it is realised that a Government Totalisator Bill will receive from the Ministerial side of the House much more support than Mr. Morley's measure, the opinion has been expressed by several members that the Ministry would experience considerable difficulty in persuading the House to agree to the introduction of the totalisator. It is claimed by Nationalist opponents of the machine that the Labour Party, which,, included J2B of the 65 members of the House, would oppose the bill, and that it would not be supported in sufficient numbers by members on the Ministerial side of the.- House to ensure the passage of the measure. Gratification at the Ministry's decision has been expressed by Mr. Morley. " I am very pleased," he said, " with the turn events have taken. Personally I cannot understand why the totalisator was not legalised years ago. If people would only realise that it is a fair and just way of investing money on the racecourse, and that it will not be the means of increasing gambling they will support the Ministry's decision. The totalisator is really the only way by which the Ministry can obtain additional revenue from betting transactions. The totalisator will increase the revenue of the State, and at the same time obviate the necessity for imposing additional taxation. Many members of the House who opposed my bill are now in favour of the totalisator, and I am confident that the Ministry's bill will be passed by both Houses." The Bookmakers. Mr. Morley's bill did not provide for the abolition of bookmakers. If it had done so it would have received more support. If the Ministry adopts the proposals submitted by Mr. Morley in 1922 it will provide for a percentage deduction on investments of 10 per cent., of which si> per cent, will go to the State and the other per cent, to the race clubs. One of the strongest opponents of the totalisator, on the Ministerial side of the House, is Mr. Greenwood, M.L.A., who said that the Ministry would have no chance of persuading the House to agree i to the legalisation of the machine. "The Labour Party," he added, " is opposed to the totalisator to a man, and it will obtain the support of sufficient Ministerial members to ensure the rejection of the measure. I trust that the Ministry will not persist with its ill-advised idea. If it does so, however, I will take the earliest opportunity of testing the feeling of the House on the matter, and I am sure that the Ministry will be defeated." Victoria is the only State isi the Commonwealth in which the totalisator is not operating. In New South Wales last year the totalisator investments throughout the State amounted to £2,758,697, of which £248,282 went to the Ministry, and £96,554 to the clubs.