VOLUME OF BETTING.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1494, 17 July 1912, Page 6

VOLUME OF BETTING.

HAS IT ACTUALLY INCREASED? The volume of betting in the Dominion was referred to by the president of the. Trotting Conference in his annual address to delegates yesterday. Ho said:-— It is mi id by opponents of hone racing and belting that although the former has been curtailed, and the latter checked by the abolition of the bookmaker, and the reduction of permits, the volume of betting has increased. It is a curious fact Hint such people know very little about the matter. They persistently refuse to gain knowledge of the true state of affairs, and their denunciations arc based on nothing more than hearsay evidence. They speak of the immense harm that speculation doss. .All the condemnation is in general terms, and, as a rule, comes from a class of people who do not appreciate the people enjoying themselves." It' is' sometimes said that betting is a temptation td youths, and the cause of some of them tampering with their employer's till. Those who are that way inclined are naturally come in their way that makes ted,by betting they would be tempted by something far worse. It is only by allowing them to meet snch temptations as natural}' come in their way that makes men of them. People, not familiar with the subject, might imagine they saw-in the large figures representing the amount of betting at the different meetings, an increase in gambling, but they would bcinistnlcen. What has happened is that a portion of the investments which used to bo absorbed by the bookmakers now goes into the machine, and almost immediately comes out again for distribution amongst the investors.