LESS BETTING

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23614, 26 March 1940, Page 8

LESS BETTING

EASTER EACE MEETINGS TOTALISATOR INVESTMENTS ELLERSLIE FIGURES ADVANCE An aggregate of £499,015 10s was handled by the totalisators at 12 racing and trotting, meetings held throughout the Dominion on Saturday and yesterday. The investments represent a decrease of £16,331 10s in comparison with tho amount handled at a similar number, although not identical, fixtures conducted on the same days last year, when £515,347 was put through the machines. There was a slight decrease in the aggregate of persons attending the two days' racing on the autumn programme of the Auckland Racing Club. The dull and showery weather on Saturday resulted in the attendance dropping by i-(MK), but the totalisator investments showed an increase over those for the first day last year. The more favourable conditions yesterday attracted 22,500 people, who placed £80,832 on the machine, as against £74,154 in 1939. The total for the two days was £7511 10s higher than last year. The following table shows the turnovers for the Easter meetings this year and in 1939: 1010 1939 Auckland . . £161.350 C 1 53,53R% Rivcrton .. 02,-188% 03,00] Fending .. 59,933 57,091 % Riccarfon .. 55,375% SS, 179% Addintffon .. 5 I,l'J 1 % 58,1*0% Hawcra .. *lO, l 'S-',y 2 -i:v»o2 AVairarapa .. 2.5.4 H! 37,N5(i% Bc'iurnont .. 12,037% 11,722% Waipukurau . 11,370 ]3,.">r_*% Kuinara .. 5,001% 0,100 Tuapeka .. <l,3*;:* 4 ,922 W'Ast lurid .. 4,132% Grcymout-h . . £499,015% £515,317 , Apart from Ellerslie only the Fcilding and Beaumont meetings have shown returns ahead of those of last year. Most fixtures enjoyed favourable weather, but the disruption caused by war conditions and the restricted supplies of petrol, which have limited the use of private cars, caused a falling off in attendances. The meetings in the smaller country centres were stated to have been the most affected by the rationing of motor fuel.