" LAST REMNANT OF AN EVIL."

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1805, 18 July 1913, Page 4

" LAST REMNANT OF AN EVIL."

BOOKMAKER BETTING. ITS ABOLITION ATTEMPTED. "A rather heated debate took place at the Racing Conference late yesterday afternoon, upon n motion brought forward by tho president (Sir Geo. Clifford) for the further embarrassment of the bookmaker. The president proposed an addition to tlw rules as follows:— Part XVI, New Eule 11a. —By the entering of a hprso every person having, or subsequently acquiring an interest in sucli horso shall bo deemed thereby to undertake neither directly nor indirectly to make .any wager with a bookmaker in connection with such horse, or any horso in the raco in which .such horse is so entered. In speaking to the motion, Sir Georgo Clifford emphasised tho necessity for the conference to do everything in its power to purify" the sport of racing. Nearly everything which had acted to tho detriment of racing had originated from tho bookmaker. As soon as ha was debarred froni entering tlie racecourse, public support to racing clubs increased. It was his firm conviction that clubs should show they were absolutely in earnest to entirely free the 6port from the incubus, which still, in a diminished manner, tried to iufluonco it. . Mr. E. R. Guinness, who seconded the motion, endorsed tho remarks of the president. The Hon. 0. Samuel gave his support to what he termed no mere formal resolution, but ono of the most important motions they could pass, and one that would raisD tho standard of the sport. Mr. K W. Alison said the law was that no bookmakers should exist, but was this not broken even by many members of the conference? Tho law could not be effectually carried out, and if tho conference carried tho proposal, he wanted to know what the effect- would be. Members of tho conference and racing men throughout the Dominion would break the law, and do it in such a way that they-could not be got at. If tho rule wero passed, it would be resented very strongly by owners in Now Zealand. He thought that they were going altogether too far, and the rule, if -passed, was not going to purify racing one iota. Mr. Nolan was- strongly in favour of the motion. Mr v Hazlett, on the other hand, felt that it was too drastieH:oo much like interfering with the liberty of the subject. Mr. H. D. Va.vasour inquired what would be the penalty for a breach of tho rule. The President: No doubt, it would be disqualification. Mr. Vavasour regarded the move as one in the right direction, for they wanted to eliminate the bookmakers' influence. For years past it had been the policy of the conference to suppress the bookmaker, and this would do a great deal towards that end. Mr. 11. M. Speed was against the motion, for tho reason that it would increase opposition to the totalisator. Mr. A. W. Budge did not think that the new rule would do any good at all, but some good men in the racing world would perhaps incur disqualification under it. Mr. H. Friedlander asked if the rule was not going to have the desired effect, what harm it could do? He thought that tho confercnce should do all in its power to suppress tho bookmaker. The lnw prohibited tho bookmaker, and the conference ought to follow it up with this rule.

Air. John M'Vay considered that somo delegates had an exaggerated idea of ivhat the result would bo if the rule were carried. They should endeavour to support tho lay? against tho bookmaker. Mr. Alison desired to make a personal explanation. Since the law had been altered he had never made a wager on any race with a bookmaker, but he reiterated his statement about other members of the conference. Mr. Geo. Hunter was sorry to' hear this about members. No doubt, Mr. Alison spoke on the spur of tho moment. Mr. ilison: No, I did not speak on tho spur of tho moment. . • ■ Mr. Hunter: It's not right. I am suro 110 members of this conference bet with the bookmakers. Mr. Alison: Yes, it is right. Mr. Hunter said that if it was so, then there was greater need for the new rule. But ho still refused to believe that it was so. He would support tho .motion. "I have Brought forward this motion," said the president, in replying,' "because I conceive it to be'my fluty, to try and extirpate the last remnant of that evil which has been a canker in tho best sports of all countries." Jn New Zealand (ho continued)- they had purified tho sport until ho considered it was far ahead of racing in nearly every other part of tho world. They hod got so far that they had banished the bookmaker from their courses. Then the Legislature had stepped in and made his operations illegal and the conference would not bo doing its duty if it did not enforce that wise Act which checked his operations. If there were members of the conference betting with tho bookmakers, then it was all tha more reason why these restrictions should bo placed on tlieni. They could only hope to continue this sport by carrying it on. under pure conditions and ha wished to sec it so purified that they would havo a much larger number of supporters. The proposed rule did not affect the general public, but it did affect owners. He was not asking members of the conference to pose as purists, but as tho question .of double betting had been ho would give them his opinion of it. "I say that double betting with the bookmakers is the curse of racing in this country," concluded Sir George Clifford warmly. "I appeal to you to abolish that evil. It wag a surprise to me that any voice should have been raised in opposition' to tho motion I brought forward here to-day." (Applause.) ' On a vote being taken the ayes were found to be 17 and the noes 10, but the motion was lost for want of the necessary three-fourths majority.