THE POLICE VIEW

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 34, 10 February 1933, Page 13

THE POLICE VIEW

LICENSED BOOKMAKERS

NOTHING TO BE GAINED

The police attitude toward the licensing of bookmakers is one of hostility, according to evidence tendered to the Statutes Revision Committee of the House of Representatives by the Commissioner, Mr. W. G. Wohlmann. "I cannot see anything- to be gained by licensing bookmakers, but I see many objections," said the Commissioner. In enumerating his objections, Mr. Wohlmann said it was unlikely that tho licensing of a number of bookmakers wold prevent unlicensed bookmakers from continuing to operate in breach of the law as they were doing at present. The prosecution of unlicensed bookmakers would not bo rendered any more easy by the existence of licensed 'bookmakers.

Mr. Wohlmann also said that the licensing of bookmakers would be detrimental to horse racing, due to the increased facilities afforded to improperly influence the result of the race. Tho two years' experience of licensed bookmakers (1907-09) was so -unfavourable that a return would be much regretted. Tho conduct of race meetings during that time compared so unfavourably with, the present, that no one could wish for a return of those days. With, the introduction of the totalisa? tor and the gradual elimination of bookmakers, upon the passing of the Gaming Amendment Act, 1907, the result was that there was much less betting among women and youths,'he added. Guessers, touts, and undesirables who usually followed a certain class of bookmaker were excluded. The totalisator was undoubtedly the best method of betting. '' The passing of the Gaming Amendment Act, 1907, compelling racing clubs against their will to license bookmakers resulted in double the number of bookmakers attending race meetings to the number existing before the passing of the Act, many of these being simply swindlers, thieves, and most undesirable characters who, with their clerks and touts were a menace," he continued. "When not plying their bookmaking swindles on the racecourse, these undesirables resorted to gambling, thieving, houscbreaking, and other crimes. At that time, there was an influx of criminals from Australia to this Dominion."