FIGURES AND FACTS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 126, 24 November 1926, Page 7

FIGURES AND FACTS

TOTALISATOR AS FINANCIAL BAROMETER.

It is fairly generally recognised that_ the .totalisator is a possibly accurate indicator of the finances of the community, or, rither, of the amount of their spending •money A Weather good and bad also has a great effect on totalisator betting, for tHere is no' doubt that wet weather damps'>'the betting ardour. Even allowing far both of these, a review of totalisator returns, over a period of years, also in-, ■cßcates the fortunes of a club, whether it is receiving increased patronage and whether its popularity waxes or wanee. In 1920 there was still plenty of war-time prosperity, and totaKsator figures ;w»e»

at the peak. The following table sets out the figures of the four major clubs of tlie principal provinces for their spring meetings over the past seven years. They are very instructive; — Well. . Chch. Auck. Dundn. (2 days.) (4 days.) (2 days.) (2 days.) £ £ £ £ 1020 . 153,267 340,141 152,398 59,508 1921 . 126,810 271,454 143,971 48,656 1922 . 118,379 259,925 117,829 50,252 1923 . 118,513 237,802 132,520 45,979 1924 . 119,320 237,210 115,490 J4.967 1025 . 119,070 207,934 105,206 46,935 1926,, 120,381 107,305 95,970 43,494 It will be seen that the Wellington Racing Club is the only one to make real progress. The figures of the Auckland Racing Club and the Canterbury and Dunedin Jockey Clubs are all gradually decreasing, but since 1922 Wellington has made gradual progress. The falling-off on a percentage baaif also favours Wellington, for the 1926 figure* compared with the 1920 total show relatively the smallest decrease. The Dunedin Club hag the next best record, and then Christchurch, with the Auckland Racing Club's figures showing the biggest comparative decrease. Against this it has to be said that the last Auckland Spring Meeting was held under most adverse weather conditions. Further, its Spring Meeting is more- or less only a local affair. There is no doubt it would be better supported if it did not clash with the New Zealand Cup Meeting. The most satisfactory feature of the table is the undoubted financial progress ,of the Wellington Club. If the present progressive policy of the club is well maintained there does not appear any reason why a review from 1932 should notgive an even more satisfactory reading of the financial barometer.