RACING.

Opunake Times, Volume VI, Issue 265, 23 March 1897, Page 2

RACING.

The social reformers and anti-gam-blers in the late Parliament fought very hard to do away with the totalisator which they averred was the principal cause of the abnormal amount of horse racing to which the Colony was becoming addicted. They succeeded in getting the number of iicenses reduced by one third, and a number of clubs which had been iu existence for many years were shut out. In the Taranaki district the Waitara, Pungarehu, Oeo, Manaia and Eltbam clubs had to go, and those opposed to racing congratulated themselves on the diminished opportunities for gambling afforded the young and old. Time has, however, show the futility of trying to legislate against the popular will and the result is that there are more race meetings now being held than prior to the partial abolition of the totalisator. Instead of having a meeting at Pungarehu with a totalisator there are meetings at Rahotu and Okato, and an extra “ no tote” meeting at Opunake. Waitara held its meeting and succeeded iu getting a totalisator license from the Government direct. Eltbam still holds its meeting, whilst in addition there are meetings at Toko, Strathmore, and Okaiawa, trotting meetings at Stratford, Normanby, and Hawera, and there is talk now of race meetings at Manaia and Kaponga. Instead, therefore, of the partial abolition of the totalisator decreasing these meetings it has increased them, and it certainly cannot be claimed that it has decreased the gambling element, on the con-

trary it has succeeded in bringing it into greater prominence by means of the host of “ bookies “ who frequent these “no tote ” meetings. Every, hotelkeeper in a country district will soon have a race meeting at his own door with its attendant evils of bookmakers, &c. We are quite satisfied that the totalisator is not one half as groat an evil or incentive to gambling as the horde of bookmakers which these “ no tote ” meetings are calling into existence and providing a fat living for. With the totalisator ic is only available on the day of the races and it compels cash transactions, whereas the “ bookies ” are always with us and are ready and willing to treat with our youths on terms which sooner or later will land them iu trouble. The bookie can afford to take great risks as in many instances be is perfectly well aware that his wagers are as safe as if the contesting horses were already dead. That horses are not run on their merits is well known to every one who chooses to take the slightest trouble to think, but from the way wagers are laid it is very evident that what the owners know the bookies also know. Reversal of form are matters very hard to deal with, and the manner in which programmes are cut up between three or four owners is becoming a perfect scandal. Unless those in charge of racing matters can take some steps to counteract it the sport of kings will descend to a spieling fraternity level, if it is not there already.