RACING FIGURES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 85, Issue 179, 1 August 1941, Page 4

RACING FIGURES

TOTALISATOR TURNOVER NEARLY NINE MILLIONS HANDLED. WANGANUI DISTRICT CLUBS. Totalisator turnovers aggregating nearly three-quarters of a million pounds were registered throughout the Wanganui racing district during the 12 months ended yesterday, when the 1940-11 racing season officially concludes. The jurisdiction of the Wanganui District Committee extends from Waverley in the north to Foxton, Palmerston North and Ashhurst in the south, and the amount handled during 30 days of racing was £728.834 10s.

Tee Dominion figures make interesting reading, as on 232 days of racing Investments at meetings conducted by galloping clubs aggregated £6 303,819 10s, against £a,944.250 fol the 1939-40 season, an increase of £359,569 10s or 5.7 per cent. The figure for 1938-39 was £5,802,8 tl: for 1937-38 it was £5,829,415 and for 1936-37 the total was £4 607,070. These millions tell their own story.

In spite of the abandonment of some meetings, including the Wellington July fixture, and changes of venue for other bodies for reasons arising directly fom the war situation, the percentage increase for the past year was more than double that for the immediately preceding term. The cancellation of the Trentham meeting this month probably made a difference of about £225,000. Betting at meetings held under the rules of trotting amounted to the sum of £2,420,274 10s, so that the aggregate under both codes for the past year is £8.724,094. The approximate amount withdrawn in State taxes and clubs' deductions, exclusive of amusement tax, is £1,526.71 >O.

Of the nine racing districts in the Dominion, the Auckland district, with 15 clubs in its orbit and commanding 52 days of racing, is by far the most important from the. viewpoint of stakes and turnover, and its ifiuence is increasing season by’ season. A year or two ago. this district contributed one-third of the revenue derived from racing: during the season now at an end. its share was two-fifths. Wellington. the next largest, district, contributed just over 13s per cent, of the betting. Figures for the carious districts, with the number of racing days in parentheses, are as follow; £ Auckland (52' 2.545.9251 Canterbury (28) 763.133 Dunedin (22) 327,463 Greymouth (16) 69,358 Hawke's Bay (29) 307,7631 Southland (17) 213,786; Taranaki (13) 286.4111 Wanganui (30) 729.0541 Wellington (25) 859,891 Following are the totalisator figures for the Wanganui district during the 1940-41 season:— Ashhurst-Pohangina R.C. . 17,469 Egmont-Wanganui H.C. 13,439 Feilding Jockey Club 96,5551 Fox. on Racing Club 40,6951 Manawatu Hunt Club 34,864 Manawatu Racing Club 211,3381 Marton Jockey Club 69,493 Rangitikei Hunt Club Rangitikei Racing Club 44,576 Wanganui Jockey Club 148,994 Waverley Racing Club 30,231-. Total £728.8641 MONEY INVESTED IN TOTALISATOR GOVERNMENT CHECKING UP REVIEW OF NUMBER OF DAYS OF RACING (PA.) Parliament Bldgs., July 31. An intimation that increases in totalisator investments are at present receiving the attention of the Government was made by the acting Prime Minister, Hon. W. Nash, replying in tne House of Representatives to-day to a question to that effect by Mr. W. J. Polson (Opp-, Stratford>, who asked whether the increase was having an effect on the National Savings campaign.

Mr. Nash added that it was not certain that the individual who spent his money on racing would, in any case, invest in National Savings. Mr. Nash also mentioned a reduction m the number of racing days that had been imposed as a resell of war conditions. and stated the whole matter would be reconsidered when the allocation of racing days for the coming year was under review in a few weeks’ time.