THE DUNEDIN REGATTA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 9382, 23 March 1892, Page 2

THE DUNEDIN REGATTA.

Excellent entries have been received for the regatta on.Saturday, which promises to be a great success. The number is 65 as against 43 last year. Seven first-class yachts have entered, and a splendid race should result. The Open Boat Sailing Race has attracted nine entries. The rowing events have filled well, and the keen rivalry which exists should ensure desperate races.

THE SUPPRESSION OF SHALL BETTING. A meeting of bookmakers, cash fielders, and the sporting public was held in Watson's Hotel last evening to consider the decision of the committee of the Dunedin Jockey Club to disqualify any bootmaker or other person laying or accepting totalisator odds on the Forbury racecourse, except through the medium of the machine, and to suppress cash betting on the course. There was a considerable attendance, and Mr Thomas Barnett was voted to the chair.

The Chairman, in opening the proceedings, said that if the Jockey Club carried out the resolutions at which they had arrived it would be no use for bookmakers to go to the racecourse. The decision of the club was no doubt owing to the decrease in the totalisator takings at late meetings," which they evidently attributed to the amounts which were put through by the small bookmakers on the course. To some extent the club might be right in attributing the decrease to that cause, but there was reason to believe that there was less money on the ground than in previous years, as the bookmakers who were betting for cash had put less money through than formerly. There was no doubt that some of the public who wanted to speculate small amounts of money, and who could not afford to put pounds and "fivers" on the totalisator direct, found it a great convenience to be able to go to the cash fielder. The speaker concluded by expressing his pleasure that, by the number of people attending the meeting in the inclement weather, such a large amount of interest was manifested in the matter. —(Applause.) Motions having been called for, Mr Smith said : I beg to move—"That this meeting condemn the action of the Jockey Club in the decision they have taken re cash bettors."

Mr J. Dixon seconded the motion.

No other person spoke to the motion, which was carried unanimously in the following form:—"That this meeting strongly disapproves of the action of the Jockey Club in offering LlO reward to secure a conviction against anyone betting or laying totalisator odds."

Mr Tuaveus said, as one of the outside public who invested half a crown with the bookmakers, he heartily agreed with the resolution that had been passed. He had heard it insinuated that the club took their stand upon the assertion that they were protecting the public. Well, he would suggest that they could license the bookmakers. They should try that before doing anything else. He would move—"That a petition be got up to go to the Jockey Club, signed by the outside public who invest half-crowns, asking them to reconsider their decision on the question of small betting."

The motion was carried without discussion or dissent.

Mr Dixon said that, as they were assembled there, he wished to propose—" That the bookmakers and cashlielders form themselves into a club for their own protection, making the club a sort of Tattersall's."

The motion was seconded by Mr Campbell and carried.

The Chairman paid that a provisional committee would be elected from the subscribers to the club to draw up rules and regulations for its guidance.

There being no other business, the meeting terminated after a vote of thanks had been passed to the chairman.