BOOKMAKERS

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6492, 11 April 1908, Page 10

BOOKMAKERS

MR R. S ABRAHAM’S VIEWS,

Mr R. S. Abraham, president of the Manawatu Racing Club, writing to the Manawatu “Times” on the bookmaker problem, says;— Mr North refers to tho insane greed of tho clubs being the cause of the trouble, and seems to bo quite oblivious of tho following facts;—Tho granting of totalisator permits is entirely in tho hands of tho Colonial Secretary, and not the Racing Conference; and further, some years ago the conference, of which I was then & member, of its own initiative made a recommendation to tho Government that certain dubs slinuki be struck off the list < f those to whom permits are granted, with the direct intention of reducing Hie number ef days’ racing in New. Zealand. How ever, the then Colonial Secretary refused to carry out the recommendations, and the conference has naturally abstained from offering similar advice. At that time the matter could have been easily dealt with, as many of tho smaller clubs had but ;few appointments. Now, so as to keep pace with the times, most of them have got into debt under personal guarantees, and it is only natural that they should fight for their existence. Possibly Mr North is correct in saying that the tote shops have gone n out of existence, but they are simply submerged into the streets, and as I have pointed out the numbers of those who live by betting are being rapidly increased, owing- to tho fact that they can. now get legitimate occupation on the racecourses. The trouble is only just beginning; wait till we get the worst class of Australian 1 bookmaker here.

I say that the Act offers a direct incentive to the idle and worfcless scoundrel of any country to locate himself in the Dominion, and endeavour to make a living, if not by his wits, then by his fingers. I say that Mr North’s friends in their anxiety to oust the totalisator did not take time to consider what the operation of the Act was likely to be Surely it would have been simple to have set up a committee whose business it would have been to go into the whole question, decide whether totalisator permits should be reduced, bookmakers licensed or otherwise, and to have made recommendations as to setting up a proper tribunal to issue such licenses, and satisfy itself that before one was granted to a bookmaker he was a fit and proper person to be licensed, instead of throwing the onus on to the shoulders of a lot of irresponsible clubs, who have neither inclination nor ability to go into such a ticklish business. 1 am and always have boon, of opinion that there is too much racing in New Zealand, but I also say that Mr North and his friends go the wrong wav about to produce a better slate of affairs.