MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

Hokitika Guardian, 24 April 1922, Page 1

MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.

AWnUIJAN AND N.Z. CABLE ASSOCIATION PAR I-M UTUAL 1N V E'N’l’O R' S DEATH. PARIS, April 22. Joseph Oiler, inventor of the PnriMutual System of hotting is dead. He died at his birthplace in Austria. His first scheme was to run a carriage through the streets of Paris, painted reel, containing clerks who received bets from two to 100 francs At this

time the betting was merely a lottery, the holder of the winning ticket taking the stakes. Subsequently Oiler introduced a system by which patrons hack their fancy, the pool (less commission) being divided after the race among the winners. Oiler soon had betting vans on all the racecourses. When rivals came, Oiler invented the pari-mutual. He first deducted 10 per cent, and then five as his business nourished.

The authorities in 18(59 prohibited pooling agencies, but permitted patimutuals, until 1874, when the French Government re-established the pari mutual. A few years later Oiler was invited to organise it. He demanded a concession for all France, he paying 10.000,000 francs a year. The Government accepted his terms. Oiler paid 5,000,000 on account out of the proceeds. At the end of the year, the Government gave him the money hack, and also permitted him to retain the pari-mutual on certain racecourse, including the Autenil, Maison, and Snlfitto courses.

BIG FRAUD ALLEGED. LONDON, April 22. Harry Smith, a worsted spinner of Leeds "lid his wife, have been committed for trial at Edinburgh on a charge of attempting to defraud the Yorkshire Insurance Company. It is alleged that the accused, alter buying Linden park mansion at Howick, insured the house ami contents for £78.000 and that they then wilfully set it on fire in May. 1021. claiming £-50.000 from the company.

PERSIAN REVOLT

DELHI. April 21

A message from Teheran says that the whole police force there have struck The strike is owing to their not being paid for several mouths. The regular troops are replacing them temporarily. Imt the troops also are disaffected for the same reason. Recent reports indicate that an 1 1 revolution is brewing in Persia. There is a marked hostility to the Shah and to the British Recent reports indicate that another revolution is brewing in Persia There is a marked hostility to the Shah and to the British Kahn] reports depict the situation in Bokhara as serious There hits lately been widespread fighting According to the Afghra Press, Tsinan Khoja, president of the Bokhaia Republic is a refugee in Afghanistan, j 'l’ho general situation is obscure.

MON A STI R EXPLOSION. PARTS, April 22. A Belgrade dispatch states that the Monastic explosion was the work of Macedonian revolutionaries. ANOTHER EXPLOSION. PARIS, April 21. A Boulogne telegram states that three French workmen were killed and three wore injured, through explosions of shdls from the British camp at Ktaplcs The explosions continued throughout a day. The danger of the explosions spreading to sheds full of asphyxiating shells was only averted late at night.

CRUSHED TO DEATH NEW YORK, April 21. Mr Albert Edward Langford, an Australian mine owner was crushed to death between an automobile and a traumar in Chicago. Mr Langford was on his way from London to Melbourne, accompanied hv Air P. J. Ycclcy, his mining partner. Langford was unfamiliar with the traffic signals. He was ins.antly killed while trying to dodge tlm traffic. FOOTBALL. (Received This Day at 8 a.m.) LONDON, April 22. In the semi-final for the Northern Union Cup, Oldham ]3 defeated Huddersfield 5, and AYigan 27 defeated Hull