THE BOOKMAKER.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 864, 9 July 1910, Page 7

THE BOOKMAKER.

Sir,—ln your issue of June 25, I' have read the comments of a Supreme Court judge in passing sentence on two criminals for the embezzlement of large sums of money at Auckland. Now, sir, Sir. Justice Chapman may be an able man, in his own profession no doubt ho is, but when he oh the word of a criminal, and without' seeking further" evidence, condemns a class of the community, you are forced to think that he is not endowed with that discreetness and jtistico which you expect to find in a man holding his position. Anyone reading the Auckland papers will read thero that. Bate.r was well known in football circles, and that ho had financed teams to Australia. No man could take a football team to Australia and bring them back undc-r «ESOO, This little item ivas a mere detail to Judge Chapman, he had tho word of a criminal that he had lost tho large sum of .£3500 with the bookmaker, and on such clean and healthy evidence he must take it on himself lo condemn that class; also, tho legislators for bavin" put a clause in tlie Gaming Bill legalising bookmaking, a thing that did not touch on the case at all, as neither men were often seen on a racecourse. Whatever money they did lose (if any) was with the street corner "bookie," the pest that the legislators were aiming at when they put tfiat clause in the Act. None can say that it has not been in a great measure successful in its aim at the pernicious. system of street betting that existed previous to the passing oi that clauso in tho Gaming Bill. Those in tho know will tell you that betting away from tho courses is fully 75 per cent, less than what it was under the old system. Does Jud"6 Chapman want this old system reverted to? If so, it goes to show how conversant lie is with a subject no vontures to tender advico on to the legislators of this country. A. genius one© remarked tliat _ a iittl© knowledge was a danswous tiling, and

in this case it applies to tho judge when he comments 011 a matter outsido of his profession. I might also correct tho learned judge as to his remarks on the opinion of the community at large 011 the bookmaking profession. Take Australia; a man following that calling there wlw is a member ot' Tatter sail's is 11 highly respected member of tho community. 11l England, tho great, broad-minded monarch, Edward tho Peacemaker, has been seen lo shako hands with Fry, the^ greatest bookmaker of his day on the English Turf. Now, in New Zealand tho business has never been under a controlling body, as all other professions are, the creeping in of an unsavoury class. Take, for instance, that noble profession tho medical, was that not abused by impostors and quacks until the legislators protected it by law? Take tho law; 11 thcro was 110 Law Society, 110 examinations to pass, what an unsavoury lot we would have dispensing legal advice to u.--. Now, to my mind, all that is required is control of this business by a body of reputable sportsmen, who have had a little practical experience, and less drivel from one section of tho public, that is making an attempt to dictate to the other section what they should drink and what profession they should follow.—l am, etc., EVIDENCE.