RACECOURSE RIOT.

NZ Truth, Issue 443, 13 December 1913, Page 7

RACECOURSE RIOT.

Tearing Down a Totei Toughs and Roughs at Work. During the past week the cable artist has flashed the news from Lonr don that at the race meeting held at Warwick (Eng.)».on Monday, Jhe 17th inst., an item, not on the programme, was carried out. The Club had set up a totalisator— or, as it is called m the Cold Country, a parimutual—for the use of its patrons. As this was a decided novelty at an English race meeting, considerable interest was taken m the result. It was held that it would be a test against the odds and methods of the Bar Vons. The cableman goes on to state: "A. number of persons, incensed at the operations of the machine, carried their resentment -to such an extent that they seized the whole paraphernalia." Not content with commandeering 1 the machine, the caoleman explains "They resolved it should not be used again, and its opponents burned the apparatus." Viewed from an Australasian standpoint, the recorded incident is almost incomprehensible. The Warwick Club, m the exercise ,of'its duties, arranged to cevter for its punting patrons by giving them a choice of two mediums of investing—Bar Vons or the totalisator. For doing so, "a number of persops, incensed at the operations, of the machine," proceeded to destroy the club property, arid burn the maching. Such an act of vandalism is unprecedented m turf history for any reason of a similar character. Who could have been the persons censed at the operations of the machine?" On the face of it, not the general public, for, jf the totalisator was not giving them better, terms than the Bar Vonsj, they could have left' it severely alone. What appears to be a reasonable explanation of the outrage is that it was engineered and put up by the Bar Vona. The purveyors of pawnshop prices, the hohblfirs . of horses and seducers of saddle artists would readily realise . that the advent of the totalisator m England meant much financial loss to them and gain to the public. Presumably "incensed" at their impending doom, the Bar Vons found cheap and willing, tools m the riff-' raff of the under-world that so plentifully prevails m Morrie England. Hence the outrage at Warwick. The , senselessness of such action is selfevident. The totalisator has been too well tried and tested m nearly every portion of the globe whera horse racing flourishes to be dependent on the wauton. whims of a Warwick mob or the paidrfor acts of Bar Vons' bullies. The Bar Von brigade of the Cold Country should take a lesson from their Australian prototypes. Instead, of relying on wanton destruction of machines to stem the totalisator :^ide, the Australian Bar Vons wage a wiser,. .thoup-h perhnps more costly, war against the machine. They :: pool' the parsons, nnd win the Wowsers to their, side, under the specious pica that the totalisator is immoral. They form strange . alliances with members of Parliament and convert Cammissroners m a sudden and marvellous manner. By such and similar noiseless methods £hey block the totalisntor m New South Wales and m Victoria. Wise m their generation, the Australian Bar Vons make no attempt to riot, burn, or "destroy m their opposition to the totalisator. ~ The English Bar Vons may just as well try to lie saints- as to try and stop the totalisator oeing established m England.