THE TOTALISATOR

Gisborne Times, Volume XXII, Issue 1778, 8 June 1906, Page 3

THE TOTALISATOR

MR STEAD’S OPINION.

At tho annual mooting of tho Cantorbury Jookoy Club tho chairman (Mr (i. G. Stand), referring to tbo lotaliaator, said the, oppononta of rooing woro unablo to advanoo any ovidonoo in support of thair allegations that rsoing and tho tolalisator woro prejudicing tho wolfaro of tho community. As a rnnttor of faot, it was unanimously admitted that Now Zealand was novor rnoro prosperous than at present, and the opponents of raoing might look-in vain for pruotieul proof that tho matorial wolfaro of tbo people was suffering through tho oolonial lovo of sport. Mention Lad boon mado lhat in 15 years tho monoy invested on ibo tota'isator had inorcasod from rather ovor £500,000 to something under 1,000,000 a yoar. It, however, should bo remembered that during the same period tho population had increased by nearly 800,000, and that the publio revenue had increased from some £8,000,000 to rathor ovor £7,500,000. Tho amount invested on tho totalisator last yoar through tho raoir g dubs was £1,231,011, but to a groat extent it was the same monoy that wont through tho msohine again and again. Tho aotual I ooet to racegoers of investing on the totalisator was the 10 per coot commission, which last yoar amounted to £128,120, and, accepting tho estimate that ovor 100,000 adults attended the various racecourses, it was not an excessive amount for a prosperous people to spend on a popular form of amusement. The thousands who enjsyed raoing, and liked a wager on the results, appreciated the totalisator, beoauso it was demooratio in prrDoiplo in affording the small investor “ equal opportunity ” with the wealthiest. It should not bo overlooked that publicists held that amusements were essential for the well-being of tho body politic. Publio i amusements all cost money, but so long I ar the neooaeary funds woro voluntarily I provided by tho sport-loving section of tho j community to maintain a popular amuse ment, interference by those who were no asked to contribute savors of a "dog intbo maDger” polioy