VIEWS ON GAMING

Chronicle (Levin), 18 March 1947, Page 7

VIEWS ON GAMING

-Press Association

OTHER VIEWS PRESENTED.

By Telegraph-

WELLINGTON, Marcli 17. At a sittiug of the Ganiing Coinmission today, Mr. O. K. Steele, an inde[loudent witness, advocated a permaneut Racing Control Board (the chairman and niember appointed by the Government and one member each from the Racing and Trotting Conferences) to control all betting facilities by means of the total isator-, a doubles totalisator and licensed bookmakers, and to arrange legal betting 011 any race meeting in New Zealand. He favoured licensing bookmakers for off-course only and, for both off-course and course and special ofi-course oftices to receive bets for the totalisator. Double charts sliould be approved by the board and all bookmakers pay starting price odds. The grandstands and other accommodatiou, mcals and food and bars on courses sliould be improved. He advocated standard colours up to 32 single colours or combinations, which he outlined, to enable everyone to fol'low a race without difficulty as a particular colour or combination would always go with the sanie number. This would also add considerably to the pieturesque beauty of a race. Mr. G. E. Barker, Point Howard, representing the N.Z. Federation of Young People 's Clubs, said his organisation felt that as off-course gambling was exlensive, a progressive outlook waa necessary to meet the aituation. The law would not stop off-course betting but only public reaction. Off-course betting for- transmission to the totalisator did not appear practicable. People . liked to bet from where they were or close by, so the legalising o-' Dookmakers seemed a practical way that would not prevent tlie setting up of totalisator agencies. The Commissinn cnntinnes tomorrow..