“TURF ANALYSIS”
SCHEME TO AID BETTORS DESCRIBED IN COURT PROMOTER PROSECUTED. Pleas of not guilty were entered by Bernard Edward McKay, of Wanganui, in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday of charges of sending circulars to Joseph Geoffrey Long at Palmerston North and Henry Alexander Hay at Waverley with intent to induce them to apply to the "Turf Analysis Service” with a view to obtaining advice for the purpose of wagering on horse races. Decision on the two charges was reserved by Mr. J. H. Salmon, S.M. Mr. B. C. Haggitt represented defendant and Detective-Sergeant J. K. Robertson appeared for the police. Detective-Sergeant. J. G. Long, of Palmerston North, said that on April 10 he was on duty at the Awapuni racecourse. About 5 p.m. he saw people reading pamphlets, some throwing them away and others putting them in their pockets. He noticed that similar pamphlets had been placed under the windscreen wipers of other cars and there was one on his car. Attached to the pamphlet was an envelope bearing the address Turf Analysis Service, P.O. Box 10, St. John’s. In the pamphlet were the words: "Those who possess the right information win the largest share of the money in the totalisator pool.” Witness said that on the instruction of his superior officer, he filled in and posted the coupon with threepence in stamps. In return he received correspondence on the Turf Analysis Service, the correspondence being signed “H. Farrell,” as manager. An order form, which stated that the cost of the service was £7 10s, was included. Detective-Sergeant H. A. Hay gave evidence of receiving a similar pamphlet at Waverley. Evidence of a complaint made to the police and of enquiries made was given by Detective Vasta. On April 30 he and Detective-Sergeant Robertson interviewed defendant. Defendant said he was the principal of the Turf Analysis Service, that he had assistants and that "Horace Farrell” was a trade name. Defendant, when asked, produced a set of papers and these witness handed to the Court. There were 73 written applications and 124 butts requesting information. NO EVIDENCE FOR DEFENCE. Stating that he did not propose to call any evidence, Mr. Haggitt said that the case would rest or tall on the evider.ee of the pamphlets and the circulars themselves. The evidence showed that defendant’s scheme was to be applied in betting on the totalisator, the pamphlets making it clear that bets should be placed on the totalisator. Counsel submitted that all that defendant’s scheme amounted to was an analysis and study of the form of racehorses on' the lines set out in the pamphlet, then making bets on the course after watching the totalisator on the particular race. He also contended that to carry out defendant’s scheme it was not only unnecessary to place bets on other than the totalisator, but that to make bets other than through the totalisator was contrary to the scheme. The whole scheme evolved by defendant was for oettmg through the totalisator. Proceeding, counsel submitted that a morning newspaper had on May 7 included "tips” tor meetings on tnat day at Franklin, Dunedin and Ashburton, although the newspaper did not circulate in those districts. Today the same newspaper had included the reference, at the beginning of an article, "one feature of week-end racing will not be appreciated by ante-post bettors .” That, said counsel, was quite clearly a reference to betting with bookmakers. Detective-Sergeant Robertson said thac irotn the police point of view the case rested on the effect the literature would have on the client or the person reading it.
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Bibliographic details
Wanganui Chronicle, 8 May 1948, Page 6
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594“TURF ANALYSIS” Wanganui Chronicle, 8 May 1948, Page 6
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