THE TOTALISATOR.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1332, 9 January 1912, Page 4

THE TOTALISATOR.

9 SIR ROBERT STOUT'S EVIDENCE. tßj TolecraDh.—Press Association.) Rotorua, January 8. Before the Totalisator Commission today, the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout) said he considered the only way to put down gambling was by strong public opinion. Ho did not favour the introduction of the totalisator into Australian racing. Ho considered it did not provo a valuable adjunct to social life; and if it was thought wrong to allow lotteries there should be no''gambling permitted. Gambling was an injury to the race, and should be. put. down. Tho bookmaker had got such a hold on the young people of New Zealand in the past that tho Governinont had had to step iu and abolish him. He regarded tho bookmaker as a parasite.

In reply to a question, Sir Robert Stout said he thought that if the "tote". were introduced into Australia more wonieu would be inclined to bet than was the cuse at present. A lottery meant that a person gained something at the expense of some other person. He considered that a great number of peoplo stay away from races at tho present time owing to the gambling element. A person could get sport without getting it at the expense of somebody else. Ho believed that if Australia abolished the bookmaker and replaced him by the totalisator' gambling would not decrease, but would, in fact, increase. He was absolutely opposed to gambling in any form. The gambling spirit had increased enormously during the last forty years. Credit betting was worse than cash betting. If the public conscience was not as yet sufficiently advanced to put down all gambling, the proper thing to do was to put down ns much as possible.