IS IT A "SCALE"?

NZ Truth, Issue 471, 27 June 1914, Page 6

IS IT A "SCALE"?

And Where arc the Police? Wliere Women Wend their Way And Where Women Lose Their. Husband's Pay. There is no need to mention the faot that "Truth" is anti-wowser at oU times, no matter what shape Wowserism assumes. But there are times when a little "Wowsing" comes m handy. "Truth" accordingly wants to know if it is the* proper thing: for an individual, or. individuals. 'to lay himself, or themselves, out to. run betting shops, laying tote, odds to all comers, particularly women? It can easily be imagined that most Women punt with money which does not belong to them, because) m fact, it belongs to inelr husbands, who have to work; and work hard, for it. There is, "Truth" has good grounds for saying, . SUCH A "JOINT" m Victoria-street* Auckland. What is more, the police are jvware of the fact, but, for some reason or reasons unknown, no action has been taken to lay this "book" by the heels. They have the evidence that the "joint" is being run, they know** the character and calibre of the main Individual running tlio establishment, yet, strange to say, no action has been taken to olose m on the aforesaid "joint," which makes "Truth" ask very pointedly if there ia any, particular reason why this party should enjoy such immunity from condign punishment., • " ' In Auckland, as elsewhere, there aro well-known men who lay tho odds, and • do a roaring business. Though it ia Illegal, these men are not "sealers. 1 .? They pay all tho demands made; on them, and, m a sense, are men of honor and men of their -word. They lay the odds with thoao whoso business It Is to back the "good things" away from the course; but it's not the prac* tice with these tote odds-layers TO DO BUSINESS WITH WOMEN. And m declining to do business with women, the odds-layers m question are wise. If they took the money and tho risk tboy would soon land themselves m a huge heap of trouble. . On the racecourso the female punter is bad enough m her search for the "good thing." She Is a pest, and often a disgrace to her sex. She smoodges to the jockey boy; 1 worries the owner and the trainer, and is on easy victim of, the "guesser." Off tho course she finds, considerable difficulty m hearing about the "good thing," and greater troubjo Btlll In putting a bit on, if she should succeed In getting tho w Wafer. No doubt, if a lot of punting women, married Women, who punt with money provided by their husbands to pay tho household bills, know where m the city they could, with ease, got tholr bit on, somobody would do a roaring business. And from what this paper has gleaned, the Victoria-street "joint" has . . . ' BEEN. DOING A ROARING BUSINESS with a number of . .married women. However, when it becomes known that tho runner of this "joint" is a "sealer," or a "switcher," it might mako a lot of tho married puntrcaaes awear off this concorn. It is a common prlvilego fdr a backer to lose his or her money. It is like getting money under- 'a will to collect on a winnsr. but when It cornea to backing a winner and then being cheated out of tho winnings, It la Just plain hell. To bo scaled of" her winnings, amounting to over £11» wan recontly tho sad oxporlenco of ono married woman who. "Truth" hastens to mention, punted, apparently with her own money, and with ■•.■«■■ THE COGNISANCE OF HER HUSBAND. Sho backed a number of winners at tho Ellersllo meeting, and when Bho wont to collect, a rare sort at oxvcricnco with her, she having during her betting transactions at tho place In question lost a considerable sum of money, sho was told that sho punted too lato, and that, therefore, she was not entitled to any dividends. Naturally, tho woman resontod tho "scale," and kicked up a hujjo fuss, and ovon wont bo fur as to complain to tno dotcctlvos. She, however, got no satisfaction, bocauae tho" owner of he "Joint" actually spat at her, and stated that ho waa friendly with certain detoctlvoa. and that no action would bo taken. Truth does not know how true such a statement is. but It would bo . WELL FOR THE DETECTIVES CQNCfcRNttO to show that they are not on friendly terms with tho bcttlnff-ahop proprietor run of course, undor somo other disguise, by Imi edlutcly taking stops to havo tho "joint" closed m> and tho proprietor prosocutocl. It m. howover, fair to the dotocUven whoso nomea wore mentioned to sUto that they off<«rcd to take the Initiative of pronecutlni? tho proprietor of tho bolting eatabllshment, and pointed out to th« victimised woman that sho, herself, was liable to a prosecution for bottinjr at tho place, or for r^ u ™ tln F "«?£*" establishment. This somewhat frightened the woman, and as h or husband waTnot anxious to havo h!n wlfo n«uro In a Court prosecution, the woman rofusod to sign or make a «taicmont on which the 'police couM take notion, and thftro tho matter won allowed lo ro«t nut what "Truth" now wanU to know 1». **««* tllllt ll |H «V U0(l , On wS appwrs to bo very pood uuthoriiy that, tho c»lttlills»moni m froquo U«tl and patronlßWl by Iho femalo punter, who In l»«ll»* with her bunband's money, are Uio <»<*f tivw » *°- InK to wait any longt-r? Surely they know enough TO RIH'T VV THE PLAC& If the police do net ti.krt prompt acHon. "Truth" m\gto »>« l»u'Hn«l \° « l '»« « vole*. In louU prolM.l. Ami when •■Truth" do<* Umt »orl of ehl»h- somo. body la bound to hear what It nay*. Tho Police CommlitNloner reads "Truth" rcKUlnrly.