THE GAMBLING QUESTION

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9914, 1 August 1910, Page 3

THE GAMBLING QUESTION

REDUCTION OF RACE MEETINGS

DEPUTATION TO THE PRIME MINISTER. [Per Pess association.] AUCKLAND, August 1. A deputation from metropolitan and suburban racing clubs waited on »»ir Joseph Ward this morning, and protested against the proposed reduction in tlio number cf totalisator permits tor race meetings, • l'he lion E. Mitchelson said that the Auckland Racing Club had not agitated against the bookmakers. The agitation had emanated ' from the public, on account of the spielers and undesirables who brought the occupation of the bookmakers into great disrepute. In every case where inspectors of police had informed the club that an applicant was undesirable, the club had with two or three exceptions, refused to issue licenses. In two or three cases the committee did not think the charges mado against the applicants sinlicicnt to warrant it in refusing licenses. A great deal of the discredit bad arisen from the fact that men refused by a metropolitan club had received licenses from country clubs. Mr Mitchelson commented upon the large increase of uiuegist&red meetings not controlled by a metropolitan body or _ the Racing Conference. If clubs using the totalisator considered the question of bookmakers from a financial point of view, they would be anxious to retain them, because the fees were greatly in excess of the amount to bo earned through the totalisator. ' Last year his club had received £969(5 from bookmakers, equivalent to £130,000 handled through the totalisator. • "

The Prime Minister, replying, said that clubs had not to consider what tho Government thought about tho matter, but rather to face public opinion, No doubt there was too much racing in New Zealand. Even people in favour of that sport advocated control to eliminate the abuses that had crept in. lie proposed to introduce a measure wjiich would be passed this session. He could not give details. The Bill would be referred to a small committee, which would take evidence and report to the House. He was not averse to racing. After' referring to the incidents that led up to the Ae,t of 1907, which aimed at the concentration of betting on racecourses, he said that some of the clubs resented the bookmaker, and to show their disapprobation, soma of them licensed indiscriminately. It got so bad that some of the better class bookmakers directed attention to tho fact that a most undesirable class of men was being licensed. The outcome of the matter had been the recent agitation to do awav with the bookmaker altogether. During the financial year there were 323 race days upon which permits were ufied. In the racing year there were /joo days, in addition to proprietary club meetings, and unregistered meetings brought the total up considerably. It seemed that there was racing for the purposes of betting on 750 days. He was not looking at it from a sentimental point of view, but from the point of view of the bead of the administration. It meant that tliere were over two meetings a day for every day in the year except Sundays. If" that went on it snelled ruin. Tho time alone spent by people on the racecourse represented, serious loss in earning power. The position had to bo faced and dealt with by legislation. Tho individual positions of many of tho clubs concerned, though of the greatest importance to themselves, could not enter into the proposals of the Government. They had' to go in for a groat reduction of the number of days :rf racing, unregistered meetings as well as registered. The proportion of town and country clubs would have to be taken into consideration, and the ' natter would have to bo approached on broad general lines. Some of the strongest representations that had been made to him had come from habitues of the racecourse. He had information from Auckland people of good standing, who were anxious for some sort of control for the stae of things which had brought about what some people called avalanches of trouble. Clubs would have opportunities for giving evidence lefove the committee to which the Bill would be referred.- He hoped that a deal of what was undesirable in racing would be- remedied. In answer to an interjection from Mr Alison, Sir Joseph Ward said thai he was aware that the Racing Conference was a fine body of men, but they had not con troll eu the licensing of bookmakers. A number of men had been licensed who should not have been. The deputation could not know everything that went on in racing. . In Auckland he had information which would perhaps tell them something more than they knew about the subject. He did not single out Auckland as being better or worse than any other place in the dominion.