THE TOTALISATOR.

Manawatu Herald, Volume VII, Issue 266, 14 May 1889, Page 2

THE TOTALISATOR.

The following has been issued to Besident Magistrates by the Colonial Secretary -with regard to the totalisator: — The attention of the Government has Jbeen drawn to the evils which attend the excessive use of the totalisator at Tace meetings all over the colony. It would almost seem as ii no amount of added money oould betoo small, the -population of no district could be too sparse, no meeting could be too insignificant, to obtain a license to use the instrument. As by section 46 of the Gaming and Lotteries Act, 1881 r the question of whether a lictnse should be. granted or not is matgß 'to depend upon the recommendation of the Senior Besident Magistrate, of the principaliWwli of tlio pmigtinl district in whioli the racing' club u.es^. tablishea. >: 'I am'i^lfupt^d to sugi gest for your considefation tna,t, jn cases of reference to you, it would ben advisable £b^-yon should, in making your report and recommendation; take into consideration the following points : — 1. The applications should in all cases be endorsed by the recommendation of the Stewards of the Metropolitan Racing Club. 2. The races should be held under the rules of the Metropolitan Racing Olub. \ ' ; 3. The amount of publio money added to stakes should" never be less than £100 at any meeting. „ ... 4. Licenses should never be given to use lip total&ftor at a pony race, a trotting race, or haok J race meeting; nor at a meeting proposed to; be held in- aii' isolated^ place, where the surrounding population is not sufficiency large to furnish, a tolerably nuawroas attendance at the meeting. „, ' , _. ':;. " •' : ■.. A 5. License to usetotaiiaator snould not be givenr-tb any dub, other than the Metropolitan Club, for more than . 1 three meetings in a year. 6>. Each recommendation should bf fo> a specific ooctudon, «M noi'in, general tS&fytffi'tyq^ttfJß held under the auspices of- any club. The Ck)lp^al i mute te J r , oog'nis'es tnat ia moh a i<Saee ; fts this.i wheite the- responsibility of niatmg" a' reeomineadation is thrown by law upon a fepeoified officer is not witih|n. the Hght of a 'ifinretar to letter that officer with jpa^t^Qubr indtpa^tio^ asit^how-his ftatutoxy duty siM>uld^ be- pw^br^ed { ljut ooy6ri^n^i are of <>piraon that it isidestmldethat uniformity of action should charactetise the practice in reference to these licenses, and that the existing state of the mora's of the turf wifi probably be improved by an dbserv-; ance, on the part of officers charged with the duty of recomiiiending the issue of licenses, of the principles emboiied in the rules above indicated.