BETTING ON RACES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21414, 11 February 1933, Page 14

BETTING ON RACES

BOOKMAKING SYSTEM PROPOSALS FOR LICENSING VARIETY OF OPINIONS [by telegraph—special reporter] WELLINGTON, Friday Some interesting evidence on the advisability of licensing bookmakers, representing the viewpoints of churches, racing and trotting organisations, police and bookmakers themselves, was heard by the Statutes Revision Committee during its consideration of the Gaming Amendment Bill, sponsored by Mr. H. T. Armstrong (Labour —Christchurch East). Because it involved the State finances, the introduction of the bill by a private member was ruled out of order! 1 It was referred to the committee, however, and in a report to the House yesterday, this committee urged the Government to investigate the whole question of gambling in New Zealand. 1 The evidence, which was tabled in the House, begins with a precis of Mr. Armstrong's statement. After outlining his proposals for the licensing of bookmakers, Mr. Armstrong states that since such a large amount of betting is done away from the course, practically every racing club in New Zealand is bankrupt. Ho quotes a letter from Mr. George Gould, chairman of the Canterbury Jockey Club, in which Mr. Gould states:— Concern For Future "I am much concerned for the future of racing. At present there are a lot of horses in training and many people are hanging on in the hope of winning a race or selling their horses, but before long I ,am satisfied that large numbers of them will be knocked out by the reduction of stakes, and by the fact that to bet in anything more than small sums upon the present basis of the totalisator is sheer folly." Mr. Gould makes a number of suggestions which he points out are his own, and not the club's. Among these are proposals that bookmakers should be licensed by the Government and required to deposit a sum of £2OO at 5 per cent as a guarantee of their bona fides, that they should pay the clubs fees for entrance to courses, that they should pay a percentage on all betting, that they should be limited to straight-out bets on winners only, and to doubles, that the present system of first and second- betting should be confined to the totalisator, that 7 per cent commission on course betting should be paid by the totalisator to the club, and by bookmakers to the Government, and that a telegraph office should be installed on every racecourse and an expert staff supplied to handle Racecourse betting. Estimate o! Revenue Mr. Armstrong quotes Messrs. A. B. Williams, F. G. Moore, K. S. Williams and other prominent racing men in favour of the licensing of bookmakers at the Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland meetings. He declares that four or five times more money is invested off the course than on it. He estimates the revenue to be derived from the licensing of bookmakers at £503,000, of which the chief items would be licence fees, £60.000; ticket tax, £30.000; course fees, £150,000; and taxation on wagers accepted away irom course, £250,000. On behalf of a body called the Dominion Sportsmen's Association, evidence was given that the association was convinced that the bill was not workable sinless bookmakers were licensed to bet on racecourses. The association contended that the totalisator did not fill the requirements of most owners and certain classes of the racing public. To attempt to continue racing under present conditions was, in the association's opinion, a suicidal policy. Bookmakers should be legalised and taxed. The association declared that it was in general agreement with Mr. Armstrong's bill. For the associated church committees, the Rev. J. R. Blanchard, convener of the Public Quest ions Committee of the Presbyterian Church, presented evidence. "Grave Public Evil" The attitude of the Churches is summarised in the first paragraph: —"We declare that gambling is a very grave public evil, as it wastes wealth, hinders production, injures honest traders, undermines character, creates criminals, ruins homes, and corrupts sport." They maintain that, it is wrong to make public revenue out of such an evil, and urge that the trade of bookmaking should continue an unlawful calling. The president of the New Zealand Racing Conference, Mr. O. S. Watkins, states that the readmission of tlje bookmaker would have a disastrous effect on the finances of all clubs. He says further:—"We should, I think, set our faces sternly against any legalisation of the bookmaker for the purposes of offcourse betting. Any legalised system of off-course betting other than a system for conveying money to the course and totalisator means one thing only—the death-knell of racing." Similar views are expressed by the secretary of the Racing Conference, Mr. H. R. Sellers, who proposes: (1) That magistrates bo empowered to send bookmakers to prison without the option of a fine; (2) permission to remit bets on a totalisator by post or telegram; (3) the installation of the double totalisator; (4) reduced taxation on totalisator money*. The Commissioner of Police, Mr. W. G. Wohlmann, declares that, he cannot see that anything will be gained by the licensing of bookmakers for a variety of reasons, including (1) the fact that unlicensed bookmakers would still be able to operate, and that their prosecution would not be. made any more easy by the existence, of licensed bookmakers; (2) the likelihood that it would be detrimental to horse-racing, since increased facilities would be given for the improper influencing of the results of races. The commissioner also refers to conditions existing in. 1907-09, when bookmakers were licensed.

MR. GOULD'S EXPLANATION

LETTER WRITTEN YEARS AGO [by telegraph—own correspondent] CHRISTCHURCH, Friday Mr. George Gould, president of the Canterbury Jockey Club, has issued the following statement: — "As publicity has been given to a private letter of mine to Mr. H. T. Armstrong, M.P., referring to bookmakers,. 1 am entitled to ask equal publicity for an explanatory reply. The letter was written two or three years ago. My view was that, bookmakers should either be hunted out root and branch or that they be licensed and made to contribute to the support of racing and Government revenues. "At. about the same time, I moved at the Racing Conference that clubs should be permitted to run both win and place totalisators. Permission was refused. I am glad to say it has now been granted, and they will be in operation at the Riccarton meeting on Saturday next. I think the win and place totalisator will be very popular, an embarrassment to the bookmakers and improve the outlook for racing. "I should also like to take this opportunity of stating publicly that T believe (he institution of the double totalisator on racecourses would be a costly and unprofitable venture."