DUNEDIN JOCKEY CLUR.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1804, 10 July 1906, Page 3

DUNEDIN JOCKEY CLUR.

TOTALISATORS, OHURCHEB, AND BOOKMAKERS.

'(Per Press Aflioeiatlon.)

DunediD, last night. At the annual meeting of the Dunedin Jockey Club the Hon. G. McLean, who presided, congratulated the club on tbo succoss of the past season. They had commenced the season with a debit balance of £436, and closed it with a oredit af £409. With an additional amount to oome from Government the profit would be £9BB. Referring to the agitation against the totalisator by the Council of Churches, Mr MoLcau said he was in a peculiarly good position to deal with the matter, as he had never betted a shilling on his own or any man’s horse. The Council of the Churches did not realms what they wore doing Did they desire to go back to the system of bookm-kers. whom they saw living in luxury V Did toey understand that by k-eping up this agitation they were only limiting clubs getting totalisator permits? Tnere were in the oolony 83 raoing and 16 tro'ting olubs with permits ; in all 99 olubs out cf 256 olubs holding meetings. It was these 157 olubs that could not get totalisator permits who kept up the bookmakers. The Auckland Club had shut out bookmakers, and the totalisator receipts bad gone up by £48.742, showing the harvest the bookmakers made. If that money went into their hands what good would they do with it ?. Olubs only used the totalisator to increase stakes, to keep up tbeir raoeoouraeß, aod oarry on racing. They had done away with proprietors’ c'ubs, and racing was now being conducted in a straightforward aod honest way, more honestly than ia any country in the world. The opponents of the tota'isator were working in the dark, and did not seek for information from those who oould give it. Oat of 88 clubs holding permits 22 held only a one day meeting, and six of the trotting clabs held only a one day meeting in the year. Barely these people did not grudge the distriot having a meeting once a year. Mr Jas. Hazlott was appointed vioepresident in plaioe of Mr S. Solomon, who retired, and the remainder of the office-

bearers were re-eleoted.