TOTAUSATOR

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1346, 25 January 1912, Page 2

TOTAUSATOR

THE CHIUSTCHUnCH EVIDENCE. MACHINE FAVOURED. (By TclcKrDpli--frcss Association.) Christchurch, January 2-1. The New South Wales TolnlisitmCommission opened its sittings in Chrislehiirih this morning, tin-''Hun. 1(. 11. Jjcvii-ii [iro-idiiii;. The fullowing evidfiicu wiu "taken:— • Mr. Wanklyn's Evidence., Mr. W. ll.lv. .Wimkl.vn, ■.eccrptary oi 111' (.iintwljiii-y Jwlii'y.Uulvstutt-il iliul, last m..;\m)ii in X(. w Zviilaiid, ,f2IU,UOU wns yiiiil in i,ttiki>s for liorw! races ns aiHirl lrom trotting. In Australia, with a jKiiniliitiou ftvi- ur six times lurgor, very littu- over ..tiDO.OOO. wns given in .stakes. The last-niontioiK'd 'ligtuvs' h<. , ha'l [irrivi.'il ill. from the payment.'- to o;viior>, us -uivuu-in tin- '-Austrnlian lint Jioßisti-r." At nearly all ■ Now /I'iiianil wiintry iiu-L>tiugs .tiTiO at lea-t was given in stakos in one day, 1U »I jr Hit) mci'ting lusted two ilnys, the total stake* wi-ru .tm ur .tjliu. 'I'lwj revenuu from th« totnlUntiir was pvoljaiily a greiit tin-fur in oiiubling. clnus to'give such lnrgc prize's. ' r.itsl year lioi-n;-owiii'rs in i\t-w Zvahiud iwul apprtixiI'uiitoly .tlUO.IlOi)- for the .unkvep oi thuir hoi-ijes, in. addition tu sluices, won. Australian iiorsc-owiicfs pvobably s-iicut J:2,l)ai,(Kin in.the upkeep of their Horses, -ami only cot bia-k' £200,000. At least 'tt per cent, of New Zealand owners did not .bet.

He was. a strong .supporter' of the t'oralisntor, and pointed out that wild statements were often made as to the amount "of gambling done in New Zealand. Last year oCLMIOO.OOO went through the totalisalor in the' Dominion. The population was a million, and about half of them were over eighteen years of age. So that iiOO.OOO people spent .fit per annum, or about id. per race. The statement that New Zealnndors wore a race of gamblers was'-piiHy theoretical, and, to his mind, rubbish.

The machine had never been used for any dishonest purpose. On one occasion, some years ago, owing to a rack of tickets becoming dislocated, fifty tickets were- rung on the winner after the race was over. No complaint had reached him regarding a similar happening on November 2 Inst, on Iho. Kpsotii Highweight Handicap. Jlo produced the totalisator roturns for Iho race mentioned, and they showed -no.alterations. In order to manipulate the machine dishonestly or fraudulently, it would lio necessary for all connected with its working to conspire. An india-rubber stamp was used to stamp tickets, and, as soon as the bell rang, these stamps were collected, and it was impossible to issue tickets after tho bell rang. Ho objected to the bookmaker because ho took nil Iho profits. The attendances at Hicearlon had not incrensed since tho Jubilee year, but the amount invested on the lotalisator had increased since the abolition of tho bookmaker. Inspector Kiely. Nicholas Kiely, Inspector of Police, stated that he had been in the polico force for about 37 years. He had had experience of the working of the totali.sator in different parts of the Dominion, and, in his opinion, the totalisator was tho fairest medium of betting. The machine had its enemies, and some people always went" to the races to find fault. About twelve months ngo, whilst attending a race meeting at liiccarton, his attention was drawn to the fact that a certain sum had been rung up after the race had been won. Ho inquired into (ho matter at the time with Mr. Wanklyn, .and he learned that 220 tickets could'be sold after the rubber stamps were taken from tho men at tho windows. Complaints regarding bookmakers had arisen generally at small country meetings, which were practically run by bookmakers, and which usually finished up fight between tjio public and (he ))ookmakers. He did not doubt that there were bookmakers'still plying their calling, principally through 'the post 'office. ]m>ni time to time an anouymous correspondent had sent him bookmakers' cards. Since the abolition of the bookmaker there were fewer cases of embezzlement alleged to be due to betting. The majority of people who attended races preferred to bet with the totalisator; Ho was perfectly satisfied that the public got a fair deal from the machine. Hon. C. Louisson. Tho Hon. C. Louisson, president of the Metropolitan Trotting Club, stated that he had taken great interest in trotting for many years. The totalisator was the fairest and most legitimate method of belling, and trotting had improved under it. He did not: like to make charges against any body of men, but he thought that.the.presence of bookmakers gave opportunities (o nfl'cct the purity of the sport. He. did not approve of bookmakers —oven reputable bookmakers—being allowed on racecourses.

' Since the abolition of the bookmaker, there had been loss inducement to bet, and, in spite of the largo figures given relating to the amount, put through the machine, he did not think that ('.here was anything like the same amount of bettiug as in the bookmakers' time. His .club paid JU5.000 in slakes. The totalisator, as an instrument, was absolutely above suspicion. He explained certain circumstances under which, last February, an additional dividend had been paid after a first divident wns paid, a mistake having been made in (he calculations. He did not suggest that the bookmaker was necessarily a dishonourable man, but wheu bookmakers betted on racecourses, their presence provided opportunities for irregularities. He quite aureed with the legislation abolishing the bookmaker. After -bookmakers were abolished the amount investal on tho totnlisalor increased from 25'to-50 per cent, mid in his opinion- -bookmakers had handled as . much money as the totalisator. His chief reason for favouring the totoJif-itor was that it enormously decreased the volume of betting, and confined bettiiif; to the racecourse ami to a. rertain number of days in the year. Whon the bookmaker was in existence legally fhero was betting going on" every day and on rnces in every part of tho Dominion. It was pure nonsense t" state Hint men went round factories collecting small sums to put on the totalisator. Mr. J. B. Norris. Jfr. J. B. Norris. secrelnry of the New Zealand Trotting Association and of (lie New Zealand Trotting Conference, read a j-tatoment in which he pointed out tint, when the total amount put through the machine was mentioned, people who criticised them failed to take into. consideration the fact that tho same amount of money revolved seven or eight times during the day. '.Witness criticised certain remarks made : by. a minister of religion on the subject of gambling and thctotalisator, , but the "chairman''asked .witness to. excise -this part cf, his evidence. ■;;.. . The Chairman of-the C.J.C. 'Mr. A".'.Boyle,'chairman' of the Canterbury Jockey Club, stated that the benefits derived from the totalisator were responsible for the stakes that clubs were able to give. He did not think that there was a shadow of doubt .that the machine was the best moans of betting. He did not think that the abolition of. the Iwokninlter had increased belting. Tho money going through the machine at presentsimply ]>oinred to the fact that (here must have been a large aniount invested with bookmakers; His opinion was that, as far as, the.machine was concerned, it wa,s an absolutely honest, n.eans of belling, lie did not consider it-advisable that the machine and Hie bookmaker should :be allowed on . racecourses logether. It would be belter to retain (he. totalisator solely. The bigger stakes thai, clubs were able to pay naturally caused 'people to breed more horses. He did not, however, suggest that betting with the bookmaker was not an honest means of bsttinsr. This afternoon the Commission visited the liicoarton'Jtacecourso, and the Metropolitan Club's 'trotting grounds at Addington. The Commission will resume at 10 a.m. to-morrow.