BETTING FACILITIES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19997, 24 July 1939, Page 2

BETTING FACILITIES

FIVE SHILLING MACHINE LICENSED BOOKMAKERS SOUTHLAND SUGGESTION “The time has come when we should have a five shilling betting unit and licensed bookmakers competing with the totalisator,” said the president of the Southland Racing Ciu’b, Mr. W. T. Haziett, at the annual meeting, held in Invercargill. “In other parts of the world there are many wireless listeners who have never been on a racecourse, but they are being educated up to racing by radio. These people do not have to go to a racecourse to bet. In Australia, bookmakers can be found anywhere where there is a wireless set ready to take the bets of the listeners. That sort of thing is now creeping into New Zealand, although I do not know whether we have any bookmakers in Southland.” (Laughter.) Air. Haziett said he was not in favour of a five shilling totalisator being made mandatory by the New Zealand Racing Conference, as had been suggested in the north. He was right against the conference interfering with the internal management of any club. It would not suit every club, but the Southland Racing Club wanted it. It was probable that the first dub to introduce it might lose

money for the first two or three years, but that was only to be expected under present conditions. It was clear that something had to be done to combat the facilities, mainly the radio, which were available for increasing and encouraging betting in small amounts.