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The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, MAY 28, 1888. THE TOTALISATOR.

What shall bo done with the totalißator ? is the vexed question of the hour," and its ultimate fate is sought to ba sealed m a great variety of ways. While some clamour for its relegation to the shades of oblivion, others think that by means of it our poor may be supported, for by taking off a certain percentage of the money which annually passes through the machine and devoting it to charitable objects a handsome fund would be. in the hands of local bodies, or the authorities who would be entitled to receive such percentages. If'the machine is an evil it should be done away with and not used as a means of making the ruination of one class contribute to tyie support of the needy. ' The legalising of the totalisator has done more to encourage horse-racing and gambling Jon the turf than any other means hitherto invented. While, ho,wover,,:it has been the practical ruin of the class known. as bookmakers it has been the meansjof fostering a spint of rash speculation among those who never would have made a bet with a bookmaker. It has also been the means of bringing Racing Clubs — save the mark— into existence, which would never have heon inaugurated unless for the money derivable from the machine. Every little hamlet or country place, where an hotel and a store constitute the township, has jts annual fixture, and places of little better pretensions have two, or maybe three meetings m a year! .* ;In such' places the stakes are only subscribed from the money which' passes through the totalisator. All over New Zealand the multiplication of what £re now being called " totalisator meetings" is being viewed with alarm even by the leading lights m the racing community, who find that the true idea of horseracing is being overlooked m the desire, by a certaiu section of " sportsmen," to make what capital they can out ; of moneys which go through the tdtalisator. To overcome all the evils now set down as belonging' to the totalisator will be a difficult task. It was thought' by those who represented the country a few years ago that when consultations were abolished by being declared illegal a great reform had been instituted, but it is rather doubtful after all if so much good, or any, has been done by their suppression. Social legislation m this direction has never been much of a success, and, perhaps after all, with some restrictions, the totalisator might be made to do service a$ the best and mildest form of a necessary evil so long as horse racing remains popular with the majority of Englishmen. If the number of race meetings could bo diminished throughout the country, and we thinks they could by the metropolitan Jockey Clubs taking' united-action, m refusing, td recognise any but a substantial' cjub of subscribing membera, the evils" of the totalisator would bo reduced to a minimum . In Christchurch a movement is actively afoot to -do away with the totalisator altogether, and a committee of reputedly earnest, sensible, and liberal minded men have taken the initiative to secure its suppression. With what success they may meet can hardly yet be predicted. The matter is only local agitation so far. In Ashburton no indication has been given of a desire to follow the example of Christchurch, and unless the agitation is universal through out tlm colony, and of the kind which seeks to impress upon Parliament the necessity of enacting legislation deadly to tho interests ..of the totalisator it will be all m vain. If it can bo shewn authorotatively that the machine is a peril to the morals and wellfare of the community thero can bo little doubt but that tho popular voice will bo listened to.

Permanent link to this item
Hononga pūmau ki tēnei tūemi

https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AG18880528.2.6

Bibliographic details
Ngā taipitopito pukapuka

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1852, 28 May 1888, Page 2

Word count
Tapeke kupu
641

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, MAY 28, 1888. THE TOTALISATOR. Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1852, 28 May 1888, Page 2

The Ashburton Guardian. Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit. MONDAY, MAY 28, 1888. THE TOTALISATOR. Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1852, 28 May 1888, Page 2

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