TOTALISATOR BETTING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19962, 2 June 1928, Page 14

TOTALISATOR BETTING.

'CHRISTCHURCH PROSECUTION WINDOWS IN THE STANDS. BREACH OF ACT ALLEGED. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT. ] CHPJSTCHURCH. Friday. In the Magistrate's Court to-day Harold E. Goggin, acting-secretary of the Metropolitan Trotting Club, was charged with a breach of tlie Gaming Act. The charge was that on February 11 he did unlawfully permit lo be received an investment on the totalisator otherwise than on the totalisator itself. The case was heard before Mr. E. D. Mosley, S.M. Mr. A. T, Donnelly, Crown Prosecutor, prosecuted, and Mr. C. S. Thomas represented the Metropolitan Trotting Club. : The charge concerned two windows, one in the members' stand and the other in the stewards' stand, at which investments had been taken. These windows had been opened for the convenience of pations of the club. Mr. Donnelly based his prosecution on the absence of what he described as physical connection between the windows :md the main totalisator. "The Canterbury Jockey Club's stands," said Mr. Donnelly, "are electrically connected with the main totalisator, but the windows at ihe Metropolitan Trotting Club's stands arc not synchronised with the main totalisator, and it. is submitted that this absence of connection makes a breach of the Gaming Act. "The question is purely one of principle," said Mr. Donnelly. "I understand ■that the machine on the stewards' stand closes fivo minutes before the starting time of flic race. There is only a little business on the stewards' totalisator, neither of the club windows is a totalisator window within the Act. Grave Issues Involved. "You will understand, Your Worship, that such a system has very grave issues indeed. There is a possibility of abuse if tickets are allowed to lie sold at windows when there is no direct connection with the totalisator." If the club officials bad mistaken the Act, their opinions had no value on the question. It might be .said that what was generally known as the. "totalisator" was the inside and outside machine. The club was not allowed under the Act to havo more than three totalisators. Detective-Sergeant Young gave, evidence describing the position and function of the windows. "The Act under which the charge is laid was ,the outcome of an agitation in 1908 to prevent betting being carried out outside the course," said ill*. Thomas. "'Witnesses prominent in tho racing world .will give evidence to show that tho word 'totalisator' in New Zealand is not understood. in a narrow dictionary sense. Iho term 'totalisator* includes the face dial, houses, tickets and all impedimenta used in carrying on a wager on the course." The Magistrate: Well I should think that is correct. " Very Interesting Case." Mr. Thomas: Take Forburv Park, Dunedin. There the dial is separate from the pay-in windows and one cannot say that both do not. belong to the totalisator. There is actually no distinction between the outside and the inside totalisator and if one has a right to pay in a way from the main house one is entitled also to pay in at the stand. William McDougall said he was contractor for. practically all racing and trotting clubs in and about Christchurch. The totalisator was understood to be the whole machinery in connection with the reception of money. Much, the same definition of a totalisator was given by T. 11. Davey, chief stipendiary steward for New Zealand. "I do not dispute the definition," said Mi*. Donnelly. "It is only a question whether the defence is right." Evidence regarding technicalities of the totalisator was given by Rupert A. Armstrong. a member of the New Zealand Trotting Association, and Hartley R. Sellers, secretary of the New Zealand Racing Conference. "It is a very interesting case," remarked Mr. Mosley, "and I shall require time to think it over." Decision was reserved.