DISPENSES GOOD FORTUNE

Chronicle (Levin), 6 February 1947, Page 8

DISPENSES GOOD FORTUNE

NEW ZEALANDER WHO HANDS . OUT.CHEQUES Eeceived Weduesday, 7 p,m. 'LONDON, Feb. 4. There is a New Zealander in Britain whom hundreds of thousands — even 1, 000,000 or more — of people would like have call on theni. He is Mr. Tom (irenfell, formerly of Christchurch and Auckland, avIio was New Zealand pair ,ar chaiaplon in 1924. He left New Zealand 15 years %.go. The reason for his popularity is that as manager of the publicity staff of one of Britain 's leading football pools, it is part of his job to inform pool winuers of their good fortujie. He also arranges details pf the cheque presentation ceremony ,and a round of" entertainmeut for the "aewly rich" and his family. It is estimated that every week 10,000,000 people in Britain spend £1,000,000 on football pools — now Britain 's seventh largest industry. There are eight main pools and the one for whieh Mr. Qrenfell works recently esr tablished a world reeord when it paid £45,000 to a Yqrltsliire miner. "The hardest part of the job," said Mr. (Irenfell "is to convince the lucky people that they really are in big money. They cannot realise it even when a cheque is put into their hands. Many of theni have never seen a cheque before and do not repose too much faith in them. If we could arrive at the door with a sackful of £5 notes they would be inueh more impressed. " Mr. Urenfell reealle't an old widow vvho, when given a cheque for £5000, dedared her inimediate inteiitidn of cashing it so that she could spend her evenings counting and.reeounting it. Mr.. Grenfell looks after the prizewiiiners whi'le they are the guest of the pool. "They rarely come with ideas'i'.oniniensurate to their wealth," he said. "Big hotels, grand dinners,. best seats at the theatres, and introductions. co famous people are all laid on, but most of them insist on nothing more glamorous tlian a visit to the House of Coinmoiis or London Bridge. They will gaze and comment in awesome- admira-' lion at other people 's sleek cars and handsome elothes, but few express a desire to possess such things themselves. It is not uutil weeks after that they realise such things are within their own grasp. ' ' Advice is given to the winners on how to lrandle a big fortune. One- pool booklet saya: "Investing money will .give you as big a thrill as going to the pictures. ' ' Personal advice by pool representatives inciudcs a suggestion that all begging letters should be burned and people ready with hints on investing should be shown the door. Betting in all forms has recently been much in the news sinee there is speculation on wliether Dr. Dalton is planning a betting tax. His Treasmry experts are said to be working on schemes to get substantial revenue. They have various estimates of sums being spent. The latest are thht in the past year £300,000,0'00 was wuged on horses, another £300,000,000 on dogs, and that between £50,000,000 and £60,000,000' will be spent on pools this year. Opponents to the betting tax include the churehes on the ground that it would eonfer official st'atus on the social e-vil and give tlre State a vested interest in the prosperity of the gambling trade.