BETTING SYSTEM IN AUSTRALIA

Southland Times, Issue 23181, 23 April 1937, Page 10

BETTING SYSTEM IN AUSTRALIA

“ROTTEN TO CORE” IMPRESSIONS OF HON. G. R. HUNTER '‘The whole system of betting in Australia is wrong and rotten to the core,” said the Hon. G. R. Hunter, M.L.C., on his return to Christchurch after spending two months touring New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia. Mr Hunter said that as a past president of the Canterbury Owners', and Breeders’ Association, as a racehorse owner, and as a trustee of the Canterbury Jockey Club, he was particularly interested in the systems of betting in Australia, both for trotting and galloping. The bookmaker and the totalizator, generally speaking, were both available for the backing of horses in Australia, but it was the totalizator that determined the odds. “In South Australia,” he added, “betting shops have been established, and I would regret very much to see their introduction in New Zealand. A Pernicious Influence “I visited one of these betting shops on the day of the Oakbank races and saw women betting, and in between races peeling potatoes and apples to take home for their husbands’ dinner. These betting shops cater for the poorer classes, and bets as low as 2/- are taken, but in my opinion they can only have a pernicious influence on the community. They do not exist in Victoria or New South Wales.” Mr Hunter said he thought the system of betting in New Zealand could not be improved upon except for the introduction of a double totalizator. He saw a double totalizator in operation at the Oakbank races, and the system followed was for the club to select two races for double betting. If a man’s horse won the first race he had the right to pick a horse for the next event, the amount of the investment being 5/-. On that occasion two outsiders won, and only one man picked the double. If several persons picked the two winners on the double totalizator, the amount of the dividend would, of course, be divided accordingly. The system of double betting was very popular, said Mr Hunter, and. it was restricted to the course. \ Starting Price Betting

There was a great outcry in Sydney against the system of starting price betting, he added. Every hotel and restaurant had its starting price agent operating and one result had been a falling off in the attendances at race meetings. Bets as low as sixpence were accepted by the starting price agents, who were unlicensed and carried on their illicit betting to the detriment of the racing clubs and the licensed bookmakers, as well as robbing the State of revenue. In each of the States he visited, the totalizator and the licensed bookmaker operated side by side, and at trotting meetings in South Australia he saw a 2/- totalizator and a 2/- double totalizator. He considered that the existing New Zealand system, with the addition of the double totalizator on the course and with provision for 5/- bets, would be as good as any system could be. HOUSEMASTER’S WIN AT ROSEBERY PROMISING NEW ZEALAND HORSE (Received April 22, 6 30 p.m.) SYDNEY, April 22. Housemaster, who won at Roseberry yesterday, is owned by a 1905 All Black, Mr W. S. Glenn. Housemaster, which in only two starts hitherto had one second and one first, is by Chief Ruler from Filette, and is trained by J. T. Jamieson, being one of the most promising horses of his stable.