BOOKMAKERS AND THE LAW.

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2653, 27 December 1915, Page 7

BOOKMAKERS AND THE LAW.

Sir, —Is.it not time that the MasseyWard ■ Government brought in some amendment of the racing law to prevent "bookies" and spielers from living on the fat of the land to the detriment of the working classes; The city abounds with bookies, with their clerks, satellites, runners,, and touts. A number of well-known hotels are used openly for the purpose of betting, although it is supposed to be against the law, and the Licensing Bench some years ago threatened not to give licenses to hotels that were used for this purpose. It is a crying shame the way these bookies and hotelkeepers are allowed to carry on. We are supposed to havo a very, astute Police Commissioner, who earned great praise: in'the past for rooting out sly iii'the King Country. Why not give him a chance to do something. , . . We have a first-class force of detectives' and police who. could wipe these out in a daj\ if they were wanted. I do not object to the sport, but what I do object to is that working men shimld be continually fleeced of their paltry wages by having free access to the bookies. . Should they not go to tlie hotels to put the money on, tho book.maker's tout comes on the job, and takes wagers and collects the loss out of the worker's wages at the end of the week. Who' suffers ? , Only the women and children, and it is the causc of squalid homos in Wellington. During this week racing will bo taking place'all'over Now Zealand., Why not let the dogs loose immediately ?—I am, etc., WORKER. December 23, 1915.