THE PASSING SHOW

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Issue 1138, 1 February 1912, Page 6

THE PASSING SHOW

-TOPICS OF THE WEEK, BY A CAUSTIC CRITIC.

Totalisator records appear to be exciting an unusual amount of attention. Since Ellerslie broke all previous records for the Dominion in the matter of money invested on the totalisator, Wellington and Takapuna, in addition to several other North Island clubs, have eclipsed the 'best returns of former years by very large amounts. Doubtless the New South Wales Totalisator Commission has helped materially to focus public attention on the workings of the machine; but, apart from that, the figures are certainly startling to those who merely take a superficial interest in passing events, and give colour to the oft repeated fallacy that betting is increasing very rapidly. When, however, the figures are analysed dispassionately the “ recordbreakers” by no means afford conclusive evidence of a growing prosperity on the part of New Zealanders to squander their money on “backing their fancy” on the racecourses, as ous parsonic friends would have the uninitiated believe.

At the present time New Zealand is experiencing a period of great prosperities, and, naturally, there is a larger amount of surplus cash available for speculation. This being so, it is only reasonable that a fair quota of the floating capital should find its way to the racecourses, without it being suggested that the community is giving way more to the gambling habit.

This, however is not likely to convince the anti-tote agitators that the machine is in reality not encouraging gambling; because they stand pat on the additional returns as undisputed evidence of the public’s anxiety to frit their money away on racecourses. They, however, overlook the fact that at every meeting that has shown increased totalisator returns the attendances have been greatly in excess of previous years, and that the ratio between increased attendances and increased totalisator returns is all in favour of the actual investments on the machines being proportionately smaller per head than previously when 'bookmakers were licensed.

It is well known to racing men conversant with the sport, that, during the period bookmakers were allowed to’ legally operate, the totalisator did not attract more than about two-fifths —certainly not a-half —of the capital expended on backing horses. We are not prepared to say that under the present conditions all the money spent in wagering goes through the machine. We can, nevertheless, positively state that under the present Gaming Act anti-post betting has been very largely reduced, and that while probably a good proportion of the money that previously went to the bookmaker now goes to the totalisator, the aggregate amount expended by the “punter” is less now than formerly.

The opponents to the totalisator would do well to realise that hitherto many owners and trainers were wont to go to the bookmaker and back their horses in large amounts days and weeks and often months before the events. Now, however, most of that money is diverted from its previous channel and is now helping to swell

the totalisator returns. This alone would account for a substantial proportion of the increases shown at each meeting. In addition to this there also has to be taken into account the very large sums of money that were handled by licensed bookmakers on the racecourses.

There can be no question that taking the Takapuna summer meeting of 1911 (the last occasion on which bookmakers were permitted to legally follow their calling on a racecourse in the Dominion), and the record meeting of the same club this season as an example, that of the actual money which changed hands on the

former occasion quite two-fifths was handled by the “bookies”; but this year the increased takings on the totalisator did not show that the totalisator returns improved in that proport’on even though the attendances this season at the North Shore racecourse was far and away greater than on any previous occasions.

For years past our meddlesome legislators have been crowding new laws into our already overburdened statute books at such a rate that the sorely inflicted public of this benighed land have not been able to assimulate them, nor have the police been able to enforce them because of their slovenly and incompetent construction, which leaves such palpable flaws that even a schoolboy can discover a way to evade the intentions of our grandmotherly politicians. It is little wonder, therefore, that when the N.S.W. Totalisator Commission came to take evidence on the administration of our Gaming Act, the said piece of fuddled legislation was exposed in such a way as to make the Act appear ludicrous besides leaving an impression that our police were a hopelessly indolent, if not actually blind, band cf nonentities. « ® * * Here is an illustration of our meaning.—“yve are told that the bookmakers in New Zealand are plying their business as merrily as ever, but not on the racecourses,” said a member of the New South Wales totalisator commission at Wellington. Men, we are told, are betting on the streets and offering totalisator odds. “That may be,” replied the , witness, “but it is nevertheless illegal.” ‘ Don t you think,” asked a commissioner at a later stage in the proceedings, “that almost every man in the streets, except the police, knows that the oookmakers are carrying on their calling. Don’t you think it is the fault of the police and not the fault of the law that the bookmaker still exists . The witnessed replied that the police had tried to put the practice down, but experience had proved that it was only with the greatest difficulty that a conviction could be recorded. « * * • ■ Clad in costly sables, and exhaling the perfumes of Araby, she had wasted a full hour of the costumier s time in trying to find and bespeak a Shakespeare outfit for a fancy dress carnival. , „ ~ “Plum velvet no good, said tne costumier, grimly, closing the sixth trunk. “Now, miss, what character do you prefer?” “Oh, dear, anything cool for summer. Lady Godiva wasn’t Shakespeare, was., she? What about Ariel? Do you think I could keep up the “Really I can’t say,” observed the costumier, puzzled. “I’m afraid I should have to know a little more or y °“Oh’ I have plenty of time,” chirruped the fair one; “have you a room with a fire in it?” _ . . i—i-- o a * * “Things of which too much is not enough —money and love.” H- * * * “There are two classes of men — those who have 'been found out, and those who have not.” « • • • “Courtship: The exciting curtainraiser. Wedlock: The exhausting play.”