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Hokitika Guardian, 21 July 1932, Page 4

The racing and trotting interests last week spoke with no uncertain sound in regard to the suggested reintroduetion of bookmakers .to the courses. It may ‘be said that- New Zealand is fortunate in its system of betting on i-acecourses. The totalizator under State control is a , safe and sound system for the investing public. The machine lias a, definite location, and is not disposed to run away. Those who can recall live time when bookmaking was allowed on racecourses, will remember that the pencille/s had a disposition to levant at the end of an unfavourable day, and many people were left lamenting. The totalisator handles the people’s money with care and and the investors who

select winners have the, money returned, less a percentage which is used to enhance the stakes the clubs may offer. The !bookma.ke<i" jin ji/ day, paid a small fee, which was often difficult to collect, but irrespective' of his turnover,, the fee was aunost’ nominal and did little to help the financial fortunes ,of the receiving Club. Oi course there are bookmakers in the country to-day and they are operating with a good deal of publicity. Every town and hamlet is said to have its bookmaker or his agent, and this unlawful organisation .is in constant opposition to the peoples’ totalisator. The law-keepers are supine in the matter of suppressing the bookmaker, and on the whole he has a goqd run. The racing authorities have asked repeatedly for the definite • suppression i!> ,of illegal .betting, without success. No\y, with the deci’ease in-the totalisator. investments there is more occasion' .than ever for the check.. At the same time tlipro is the request from Clubs that the telegraph should be at their disposal for transmitting investments, as it is already for the illicit fraternity. The Government is long in conceding that concession, though it affects postal and telegraph business and the national share of the totalisator taxation, to the* tune of many thousands cf pounds per annum. Probably now that the Government needs more money the authorities will wake .up to the situation., .and not only remove existing anomalies, blit also take the suppression df the bookmaker in hand;