THE TOTALISATOR

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 386, 22 November 1932, Page 7

THE TOTALISATOR

must WIN out * ^ ' GRADUALLY DISPLACING BOOKMAKERS IN U-S.A. AMERICAN VIEWPOINT'. From the heginning of that rninute section of time of which we have- any eognisance innovations have been uiipopular with the masses. Early forms Of life would have remained in th'e paleozoic seas had changing circiinistances not driven them out. Men might still have been a forest animal had Unfriehdly neighbours not forced his ancestors to exploit their dawning thinking processes. Yet for all this, mankind, with all its wisdom, still carries on the fight against innovations, however worthy they may appear to be. So the totalisator principle has had to battle its way into the racing field through the very thickest of speeiously pil'ed-tip argument. Thirty years ago it began the fight, and, although it has always .been a. winning fight, the battle is not yet over. The advocates of the anachronous system of bookmaking, a system of profit and loss in which the bookmaker is always the profit-maker, are still spasmodically battling, and it will need a new generation wholly to annihilate them. Change Has to Come. England and Ameriea are two racing countries that have been very tardy in. making the change-over to the more equitable totalisator system. This is what might have been expected, for the old system was rooted deeply there and was not to be eradicated in a moment.

England has recently swung over in part, and now the totalisator is. slowly but surely supplanting the bookmaker there. Another generation may have to pass, however, before the result will be wholly satisfactory. Ameriea, too, has made a start in aceepting the totalisator principle, but chiefly only in the western States. However, it is certain that before long the swing will also be well under way in the eastern States. The president of the Westchester Racing Association (Mr. J. E. Widener), speaking recently at a dinner of the New York Turf Writers' Association, said that he hoped for an opportunity before long of presenting plans for a totalisator scheme to th'e New York State LegislatUre. Mr. Widener is also vice-chairman of the Jockey Club and president of the Miami Jockey Club. The Permanent Solution. "Something must be done to help racing in New York State," said Mr Widener, "and I would like the opportunity to tell the Legislature that a permanent solution lies in the Australian totalisator. "Under existing circumstances we cannot hope for eitber the totalisator or mutuels for two and a half years. I much prefer the totalisator to th'e mutuels because the totalisator is infinitely better and fairer to the public. "Since two and a half years is too long a time to wait for relief, it is niy hope that the coming session of the Legislature this winter will permit of the passage of clarifying measures that will enable the public to back a horse without a lot of red tape. "I believe that New York racing with the totalisator and a 5 per cent. brokerage would bring into the State of New York the sum of ten millions of dollars yearly. I am only in favour of the totalisator if the State will take 75 per cent. of thei. net profits, leaving for the. association 25 per cent. or less of the net profits. "In New York we have no desire to make money out of racing, but we do desire to keep it alive. I would like to show our lawmakers that in twentyeight yeaTs the Westchester Racing Association, which operates Belmont Park, has paid to shareh'olders only three small dividends of less than, 6 per cent., and that we have spent in that time five millions of dollars." Mr. Widener was wannly applauded ' for his remarks, and when asked when the initiation of his plans could be expected, he replied "After the eleetion."