400 BOOKMAKERS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 196, 12 April 1932, Page 7

400 BOOKMAKERS

GROWTH OF OPERATIONS IS PERTURBING r CLUBS. SHOULD, BE LEGALISED. More than 400 hookmakers are operating in Wellington and at least H0 in New Plymouth, according to Mr. James McLeod, yice-president of the Taranaki Jockey Club, who vouehed for his infofmation at a special meeting to consider the financial position of the club. Mr. McLeod considered that the question as to whether 01* not the bookmaker should he legalised should he faeed seriously. The clubs had to live on a small proportion of the profits and the gate receipts, said Mr. McLeod. The trouble at the present time was not so much the fact that the totalisator investments had fallen, but that the Government was taking so much money in taxation. While the Taranaki Jockey Club had lost £2500, it also had paid the Government £5000 in taxation, and if the club had shared that it would have made a handsome profit. Wiripg Money No Solution. Everyone knew the Government was well up against it fmancially. Two other palliatives had been suggested — the double totalisator and the opening of the telegraph to the wiring of money to the machine, The former was a good idea, he believed, but he doubted whether the privilgge of wiring moi^ey couldf ,be much use to clubs. People would not go to the trouble of wiring money, paying the cost of the telegram and money order, and 1 risking the chance of being late. All they had to do was to ring up a bookmaker and bet on credit; it was questionable if tel'egraphing would .increase totalisator turnover. It was given out on good authority that the turnover of thousands of i hookmakers in New Zealand was greater than the totalisator, and the Government reeeived no benefit other than through the colleetion of income tax. * Owners Leaving the Country. The biggest problem to-day for clubs, Mr1. McLeod suggested, Was neither decreased attendance nor less investment, but that owners of horses were leaving the Dominion and going to Australia. If they were honest in their opinions they would probably agree that the bookmaker should be legalised. The police could not suppress the hetting going on, as the public was largely behind it. There were more unlicensed hookmakers than licensed ones in Sydney, said the chaiman, and that might becorne true in New Zealand, but he agreed that the large turnover of New Zealand hookmakers was affecting the totalisator returns. Mr. A. R. Standish considered that agencies of totalisators might he established in the larger towns for the wiring of money. The secretaries of racing clubs might be appointed agents, agreed Mr. McLeod.