BOARD OF CONTROL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26413, 18 March 1947, Page 6

BOARD OF CONTROL

GAMBLING IN DOMINION SCHEME BEFORE COMMISION \ PA. WELLINGTON,* Mar. 17. At the sitting of the Gaining Commission to-day, Mr O. K. Steele, an independent witness, advocated a permanent racing control board to consist of a chairman and a member appointed by the Government and one member each from the Racing and Trotting Conferences, to control all betting facilities by means of totalisator doubles, the totalisator and licensed bookmakers, and to arrange legal betting on any race meeting in New Zeafavoured the licensing of bookmakers for off the course only, and for both off the course and on the course, and special off-the-course offices to receive bets for, the totalisator. Doubles charts should be approved by the board and all bookmakers should paystarting price ’odds. Grandstand ana other, accommodation, meals and fwd and bars on courses should be improved. He advocated standard colours up to 32 single colours or combinations to enable everyone to follow a race without difficulty as a particular colour or combination would alvvavs go with the same number. Mr G. E. Barker, Point Howard, representing the New Zealand Federation of Young People’s Clubs, said his organisation felt that as off-the-course gambling was extensive, a progressive outlook was necessary to meet the situation. The law would not stop off-the-course betting. Off-the-course betting for transmission to the totalisator did not appear practicable. People liked to bet from where they were or close by, so legalising bookmakers seemed the practical way. That would not prevent the setting up of totalisator agencies. The commission will continue tomorrow.