THE RACING CLUBS AND BOOKMAKERS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 67, 12 December 1907, Page 3

THE RACING CLUBS AND BOOKMAKERS.

Sir, —As ono who likes to see a good horse race, and enjoys a day's outing, and seoing that bookmakors wore likely to bo at Feilding, 1 went there the first day, but' to my disgust, found that if I wanted to havo a small interest in each race the lowest amount I could put on a horso was 205., as the "toto" held a monopoly with the public. The stewards of the club thought fit to harass the bookmaker in every possible way, they not only wanted £20 from each bookmaker, but the samo from his clerk, and then to submit to bo roped in like so many wild cattle. Now, sir, why should tho stewards not be eompolled to run os. and 10s. "totos" as well as tho 20s ones? What I can seo of it these clubs will not study the public at all; their ono aim is to got all they can from tho public, and I think the Government should not grant a permit to any club which will not either meet the bookmaker in a fair spirit, or be willing to run a ss. "tote." On talking tho matter over with a steward I was told that if a man could not afford to put a pound on a horso ho should not como to tho races to bet. Now, sir, thoro is tho whole thing in a nutshell, they do not want you at tho races if you have not got tho money to put through thoir machine to swell their takings. If a man takes £3 out to tho races there is os. to 12s. entrance fee on to the grounds, your meals, and card, etc., which then leaves you 40s. to put os. on each of the eight races, and should a man not win at all ho lan havo a good day's sport, and not be a great loser. This present law, Mr. Editor, is going to bo a curse to some families, as men will bet; and if they aro not allowed to have tho bookmaker on tho ground to bet with, they will find tho money all tho same to put their pound on, to the misery of. many a home, as tho same persons would bo contented to put ss. on. What might be to tho benefit of tho clubs is this: a man starts with ss. with a bookmaker, and after the first race or two he may have won enough to visit tho "tote" machine with his £1. This is a great gambling question, and if the Government are not going' te seo fair play to the bookmaker and allow him to bo wiped out by the stewards of racing clubs, then all race goers that believe in fairtroatnient to all should be up in arms, and put in men at the next general election who will wipe out the "toto" machine and finish tho racecourse gambling once and for all. Trusting that our Cabinet Ministers will prove themselves men of grit, and not be overpowered by v/iro-puliing from big men in the racing clubs.—l am, etc., ss. LIMIT. \