Sporting Review AND LICENSED VICTUALLERS’ GAZETTE. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE WEEKLY STANDARD. Thursday, July 16, 1896. TURF GOSSIP. LICENSING BOOKMAKERS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VI, Issue 312, 16 July 1896, Page 4

Sporting Review AND LICENSED VICTUALLERS’ GAZETTE. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE WEEKLY STANDARD. Thursday, July 16, 1896. TURF GOSSIP. LICENSING BOOKMAKERS.

This subject has been engrossing much attention of late, principally in the southern portion of this Island and in the South Island. The metallicians in the Auckland district are, as it were, provided for, and the best “financial” and most respectable of the betting fraternity have been for some time past licensed by the Auckland Racing Club to bet on the Ellerslie course, and such license holds good provided they obey the regulations as to taking up their stand, at a place provided for them, and that they do not enter into competition with the Clubby layingthe same prices as the totalisator, or in other words, engage in “ tote-betting.” The Takapuna and Avondale Clubs also grant licenses to the recognised bookmakers.

We are quite satisfied —and we know the clubs mentioned are — that everything goes on as happily as the proverbial marriage bell, and that tne arrangement meets with the entire approval of the betting public. It must not be forgotten that there are a large number of people who prefer to spend a pound or two with the bookmakers at stated odds than with the totalisator, and what reasonable objection there can be to a man pleasing himself whether he will register his investments with the bookmakers, and then find out after the race that he could have got a few shillings more — perhaps a pound or two —has always puzzled us. We have always advocated that to settle the tote-betting business it will be necessary to adopt other than the means which have failed to break it down during the last few years. When the Egmont Club found the difficulty in coping with the tote-bettors, and the strong objection that several of the stewards expressed against having to act as spies, we suggested that the bookmakers should be licensed. This was done, and all the oldtime friction and unpleasantness between the stewards and bookmakers is practi- ( cally at an end, and the stewards find their duties much more pleasant. Several other clubs have since licensed bookmakers to bet on their property —leasehold and otherwise —and we feel sure that the clubs who have tried the experiment do not regret having done so. Any noticeable shrinkage there may appear. to be in the totalisator returns might have occurred even if there had not been a bookmaker on the course, but in compiling the tote returns credit must be allowed for the amount collected for the license fees, so that there is actually no loss. This vexed question will have to be settled soon, one way or the other, so that there may be some uniformity amongst the racing clubs. We say, decidedly, license the bookmakers .to bet in an allotted enclosure on the course, and force them to give a properly marked ticket, and quote a price for each wager. We have urged this subject so much upon the notice of racing clubs that we have nothing further to add,, to our previous advocacy of a matter that is** of much importance to all connected with horse-racing’ If the public would support the racing clubs in their crusade against the bookmakers it would be an, entirely different matter, but the racecourse public are “ agin ” the powers that be, and they like to please themselves what system of betting they will bet under. Our attention has just been called to a circular which was drafted at a meeting of bookmakers held during the progress of the Hawkes Bay Winter' Meeting. We have carefully perused this circular, which is to be submitted to the conference of racing clubs (not metropolitan clubs only) which will meet shortly at Wellington, and we cannot detect any reasonable or legitimate ground for raising an objection to any of the conditions which the impromptu/ Tattersall’s Club have drawn up. The circular is somewhat lengthy, but as the subject is of sufficient importance we will publish it in full, and. allow our readers to judge of the'merits of the application of the bookmakers : — [pIRCULAR.J Wellington, July 3, 1896. Dear Sir, —On behalf of the bookmakers whose names and addresses are appended, I beg to address you as of the New Zealand Metropolitan (sic) Racing Club’s Conference, with a view of bringing about some arrangement whereby legitimate bookmakers may be granted facilities for following their lawful calling, and my object is to learn if it would be possible aud convenient for at least a section of the delegates to the conference to meet the bookmakers, say during the forthcoming Wellington race meeting (July 2.2 and 25), to consider a scheme for the licensing of bookmakers to lay straight-out odds within such portion of the club’s racecourse enclosure as may be set apart for that purpose, and bookmakers to be licensed by metropolitan clubs on the same lines as trainers and jockeys are now licensed. I append herewith a resume of conditions under wlfich such licenses might be granted; also arguments in favour of the scheme. It would be superfluous to at length point out that at present the relations between racing clubs and legitimate bookmakers are of such a nature that the latter are being punished (by being excluded, from some racecourses) for the sins of layers of totalisator odds, and other illicit bettors, and such exclusion practically means the extinction of men who have for a number of years honourably followed their calling, and greatly adding to the interest taken in racing by horse-owners and those bettors who prefer anti-post betting to starting odds, as obtainable through the medium of the totalisator. I submit that the adoption of the proposal would lead to the extinction of the bulk of illicit betting that now takes place,in the principal towns of New Zealand and. on race-

courses, and respectfully beg that you will give this petition your earnest consideration, with a view of submitting our proposal to the Racing Conference.—l am, sir, yours respectfully, J. H. Pollock. PROPOSED CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH BOOKMAKERS MAY BE LICENSED. 1. Bookmakers requiring licenses to bet straightout odds, to make application to the metropolitan club of the district in which they reside, such application to be accompanied by a reference, and signed by at least five members of the local metropolitan racing club. 2. License fee to be one pound (£1). 3. License to entitle the licensee to bet straight out odds in the bookmakers’ enclosure only of any racecourse under the control of the metropolitan clubs. 4. Bookmakers to pay the sum of five pounds per day for the privilege of following their calling within such enclosures. 5. Licenses to hold good during the pleasure of the metropolitan club issuing the same. 6. Any complaint of illegal betting to be investigated by the club on whose racecourse the alleged offence is said to have occurred. The sworn testimony to be laid before the metropolitan club issuing the license to be finally dealt with by them, and bookmakers to be allowed the opportunity of defending themselves before the metropolitan club on paying the costs of such hearing. 7. Any bookmaker proved to the satisfaction of the metropolitan club to have infringed their rules, to have his license cancelled and be warned off all racecourses during the pleasure of the metropolitan club issuing such license. REASONS FAVOURABLE TO LICENSING BOOKMAKERS. 1. Racing clubs will benefit to the extent of the fees collected —say, seven days’ racing per annum, at £5 per day, from twelve bookmakers —£42o. 2. Racing clubs will also benefit indirectly, inasmuch as owners’ commissions, now executed on credit away from the course, would be executed with the licensed bookmakers on the course, at straight-out prices, and large portions would be re-invested on the totalisrtor for cash, without reducing the odds previously received by such owners. 3. Illicit betting in towns being largely commissions and money that the followers of such commissions invest, numbers of persons who are now continually on the alert to follow such commissions would, from lack of information, not be tempted to bet, and practically would cease to bet. ' 4. Licensed bookmakers would for their own protection be compelled to report to the officials of the club all illicit bettors who might attempt to bet totalisator odds on the club’s racecourses, thus directly aiding the stewards to rid the course ”\>f totalisator bettors. 5. The great friction which at present exists between racing clubs, bookmakers, and those horse-owners who prefer to wager on credit, would be obviated; also, much unpleasantness between owners and their friends through the former’s reluctance to divulge stable secrets, as once an owner had his money on at fixed odds he could candidly inform bis friends of his horse’s chance, and they would invest freely on the totalisator without reducing the owner’s odds, and large sums, would thus find its way to the machine that under the present state of affairs remains uninvested, through intending backers getting unreliable or no information.

Mr W. H. Keith now has Docility, (Foul Shot —Treason mare) in hand. Keith’s team have been removed from Hawera to Wanganui during the winter months. The best track and surroundings in New Zealand for good winter work is at Foxton. A trainer can work his horses there even if it is raining.