THE TOTALISATOR.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 2635, 31 August 1881, Page 2

THE TOTALISATOR.

The Gaming and Lntterios Bill has passed both Houses of Parliament in Now Zealand, and tbo totalisutor is legalised in Uio southern colony. I fancy (says “ Augur ”) tin; framers of tlic measure have gone a little too far in abolishing sweeps and making bolting a penal olfciico. Only those of extreme views are desirous to sec tbo bookmakers knocked out altogber. The objection here is that there are too many of a certain class, and the totalisator would undoubtedly thin the ranks of the fraternity to a considerable degree, and no doubt society would thereby be benefited, but I sbonld bo sorry to see a measure introduced which would extinguish the wielders of the metallic altogber. I fancy tbo bookmakers of New Zealand have themselves to blame for the strictness of the law recently passed. Many of them believed ,in the maxim that He who bets and doesn’t pay. May live to bet some other day. And when they were bard bit they made tracks to the more genial climate of New Holland. When the totalisator is legalised in Victoria and New South Wales—as it most assuredly will be when the rising generation grows up—the “ welshing” will bo the chief cause of its introduction.