Sporting and Dramatic REVIEW AND LICENSED VICTUALLERS’ GAZETTE. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE WEEKLY STANDARD. Thursday, June 23, 1898. THE AUCKLAND RACING CLUB AND ITS TOTALISATOR

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VIII, Issue 413, 23 June 1898, Page 8

Sporting and Dramatic REVIEW AND LICENSED VICTUALLERS’ GAZETTE. WITH WHICH IS INCORPORATED THE WEEKLY STANDARD. Thursday, June 23, 1898. THE AUCKLAND RACING CLUB AND ITS TOTALISATOR

Whatever may be the cause, whether it be the good management of the Auckland Racing Club’s officials or a sign of increased prosperity, the speculation through the agency of the totalisator at Ellerslie during the past year has been greater than during any year in the history of our Metropolitan Club. No matter what moy be the cause, the result is a subject upon which the Club is surely entitled to congratulation, notwitnstanding the evident desire of a southern writer to adversely criticise and to discover mistakes in the time for final payments, the arrangements for the casualty room, and above all, in the tote. We cannot imagine, however, that there can be much wrong in the management of this important source of revenue, and the figures justify us in saying so. Here are the results for the past year : — Spring Meeting. First Day ... ... £5,393 Second Day ... ... 8,262 Third Day ... ... 5,217 £18,872 Summer Meeting. First Day ... ... £13,544 Second Day ... ... 14,078 Third Day ... ... 14,678 42,300 Autumn Meeting. First Day ... ... £10,203 Second Day ... ... 6,282 Third Day ... ... 8,363 24,848 Winter Meeting. First Day ... ... £8,498 Second Day ... ... 7,408 15,906

Grand total ... ... £101,926 This total is £l6OO more than that of last year, which was the previous best on record, but, notwithstanding this obvious increase in popularity, “Augur” is condemnatory of the Ellerslie tote, but the extreme nature of his allegations deprives the criticism of value and makes one wonder what is the real cause. The following extract will serve to show the spirit of the criticism : —

The tote arrangements were bad, very badThe machines themselves are most indistinct, tiny little numbers making it impossible for anyone to tell what price a horse is paying until you get right to the head of the race. In the two days I consider fully £lOOO was shut out by the terribly slow style of the money takers. Frequently two minutes would elapse between the issue of tickets to two backers. The system of calling is different from everywhere else in the colony, and leads to constant trouble with southern visitors. Instead of, if one wants to invest two tickets on No. 5, calling in that order it is reversed, the number on the machine being taken first, number of ticket required after.

With all due respect to Mr Hayr, whose staff I am referring to, i might say I frequently heard visitors from the West Coast remark the dif- ; ference with Messrs Spriggens and Neylon atthe head of affairs; it being generally agreed... that for smartness and clean work they could ; run rings round those in charge of the machine at Ellerslie. - <■

The portion of the allegation marked in < italics demonstrates the extremity of the writer’s views, but those who have visited Ellerslie can judge forthemselves as to whether it is “impossible” to see the “ tiny ” numbers, but, no doubt, it is pretty nearly impossible to reckon the odds against any one horse during the progress of speculation, because the totals in each machine would have to be

calculated, and as there are are six machines, three inside and three outside ■ of the paddock, this would indeed be very nearly an impossibility. There are : always people late in their investments, and are consequently shut out chiefly through their own fault, but the writer is as extreme in his estimate of the loss

in this respect as he is in his other allegations. If “ Augur’s” estimate of the loSfe caused by ‘ ‘ terribly slow money takerr ” is correct, then, striking an average, the loss for the year must have been £5,500. No one can charge the

proprietor of the Ellerslie tote with such an utter disregard of filthy lucre as he is charged with, and we fancy if such a loss had been going on we would have found long before this that both he and the secretary of the club would have sup-. planted the “terribly slow men,” and .Ci electrified the wise visitor from Wanga-

nui by the manner in which they raked in the shekels. It is manifestly absurd to say that “ frequently fully two‘ ■ minutes would elapse between the issub of two tickets to two backers,” because the

tote figures emphatically contradict the assertion. The time available for specu-

lating on each race is not more thanhalfan hour, and if we take the first day at the Winter Meeting we find that £8498 passed through the machine in 180 minutes. Surely that is a better average than a ticket a minute. Then what dif- r feS

ference does it make, except to the hypercritical, whether the number on the card 'f or the amount of money invested should be called first. The tail-end of the criticism is an excellent advertisement for Messrs Spriggens and Neylon, who, by-the-way, are themselves tote conductors, but, if we remember correctly, the money which passed through their machine at the Wanganui Winter Meeting was not much more than half of that registered • at Ellerslie.

WORK TO DO.

The deliberations of the delegates at the approaching Racing Conference should result in material benefit to the New Zealand racing world, and the meeting must be of benefit to the Turf if the

various delegates “ are of the same opinion still” as regards necessary improvements when they arrive at the place where the big “ korero” will be held. The road to a certain place is said to be paved with good intentions, and it certainly seems to us that the track to the , Racing Conference is covered pretty thickly with the good intentions of delegates who, once having secured the billet, have lagged fainthearted on the journey, ; tailed off at the finish, and, upon arrival at the scene of action, have been as silent even as the quietest of Mr Seddon’s ; “dumb dogs.” It may be that the smaller men have been overawed by the majesty of the mighty in former Conferences, and have thus allowed right to be wrongly shelved. At the present junc- ; r', ture of affairs it is certainly the duty of : the delegates to unhesitatingly carry out the duties they are sent to perform, and. even now, at the eleventh hour, if there is a weak man amongst the chosen delegates he should make way for someone "ig] more fitted to fight to a finish. There are many momentous questions to come up for discussion during the session of -j j the Conference, and, in our opinion, there are none more important than those concerning the purity of the “ Sport of 'f Kings.” Crooked running, the presence of welshers and spielers on racecourses, and payment of nominations fees at the time of entry, are matters which may perhaps escape attention during discussion on seemingly bigger affairs. Let the delegates attend carefully to these matters, and we are sure that the Racing Conference of 1898 will be remembered by the sportsmen of the colony with charity and loving kindness. ‘ ,