TELEGRAPH AND BETS.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 16725, 28 April 1920, Page 2

TELEGRAPH AND BETS.

♦EFFECT OF RESTRICTIONS. SHARPENING OF WITS, The effect, if any, of the recentlyannounced restrictions on the use of tho telegraph and telephone sendees for betting purposes is fully known only to the people whose operations are theoretically hampered thereby. Government officials, however, do not appear too optimistic as to there being a, decrease in tho telegraphic revenue consequent upon a ceasing of betting telegrams. “It is not as simple as it sounds,” remarked the Chief Postmaster at New Plymouth when asked what the experience of the local office had been since tho regulations had come into force. Ho could not say anything about tho effect on betting transactions because it was not possible to tell what it had been.

Naturally no sane bookmaker or other bettin" man now hands in over the telegraph counter a message which blazons forth the fact that it forms part of a transaction illegal under the regulations. The officials receiving telegrams are therefore placed in a delicate position. If they refuse a message which is worded suspiciously, it may prove to have reference to an innocent commercial transaction, and the official who has refused to forward it is not likely to receive much sympathy. An illustration of this occurred, at New Plymouth tho other day when the clerk at the counter was doubtful about accepting a telegram reading “Will take hundred and forty for B ” (or words to this effect) and a-eferred it to the Chief Postmaster. The sender said it was an acceptance of an offer for the purchase of a racehorse and ho produced a letter -showing that- ho had offered to sell tho horse for £l4O to the person addressed in the telegram. , A\ith regard to the use of telephones for betting purposes, the Chief Postmaster said that if a betting conversation was detected the telephone concerned would bo immediately cut off. Here again there was a difficulty that the operators were not supposed yto “tap.” If a telephone was suspected, permission to do so would have to he obtained from the secretary of the department. If a man had been convicted in a police court of betting all telegrams offered by him could be refused and he could be debarred from having a telephone, but here again there wore loopholes of which advantage could easily be taken. From the men outside among the horses and the "financial agents” it is learned that ingenuity has been given further scope in preparing systems and composing telegrams which will not offend the scruples of the telegraph office. For instance a telegram goes forth from New Plymouth “Arrowsmith Bindlo Wellington,” and is followed a minute or two later by a second: “Will buy one hundred and three.” The bookmaker to whom they are addressed may reply “Will sell one hundred and six,” or. on the contrary, he may wire back “Potatoes all sold.” Some people who cannot decipher these cryptic messages need only ask their racing friends.