GRAZE FOR BETTING.

Otago Witness, Issue 3619, 24 July 1923, Page 17

GRAZE FOR BETTING.

“BOOKIE” TAKES £SOOO A DAY. LONDON, July 2. The prevalence of betting in Scotland was revealed in the evidence given at the betting tax inquiry to-day. Mr James M‘Lean, of Glasgow, described as the “biggest bookmaker outside London,” testified that he employed 60 persons. His receipts averaged £SOOO a day. He expressed the opinion that the legalisation of betting would not produce revenue, but would convert every bookmaker’s office into a regular Monte Carlo. He said that if betting were legalised, Dunoon and other holiday resorts, where bookmakers were now prohibited, would, in the holiday season, be frequented by bookmakers, with the backers lining up in queues. A Glasgow street bookmaker testified that his receipts averaged £25 a day, chiefly in florins, shillings, and sixpences. He said that street bookmakers abounded in Glasgow, with a small army, chiefly of waiters and billiard markers, collecting bets. The police were very easily baffled. CHILDREN INTERESTED LONDON, July 4. Police Superintendent Evans, who has had 40 years’ experience, giving evidence before the Betting Tax Commission, said there was a latent hostility towards the police who enforced the law. He felt that the feeling was justified, because it was very one-sided, as far as the poorer people were concerned. Betting among women was most prevalent. Mothers sent small children to the bookmakers, thereby introducing them to the habit early. It was common for dole-drawers to bet extensively. Miners would bet on anything. He knew many women who conducted betting businesses, unknown to their husbands. It was his considered opinion that betting would never he stopped, and that repression would only lead to unrest. He had discovered half a dozen workless miners who had started bookmaking. They took threepenny bets on races, football, cricket, and fights. EVIDENCE OF AN OFFICIAL. LONDON, July 17. The Controller of the Telegraph Department, in giving evidence before the Betting Committee, said that 36,000,000 telegrams were received annually. Of these, 2,500,000 were connected with horseracing. Ten per cent, of the Press telegrams related to horse-racing. During the coal strike there was a very large increase in racing telegrams. EFFECTS OF THE WAR LONDON, July 20. M" Alfred Heathorn told the Betting Commission that there had been more betting in England since the war, but the amounts were smaller. Betting business was practically all credit, and 20 per cent, of it comprised bad debts.

Unemployment in Great Britain reached its highest point in June. 1921, when the official total was 2,040,000; in April of this year the number of unemployed had decreased to 1,240,000.