AUSTRALIAN BETTING LAW.

Shannon News, 3 January 1923, Page 3

AUSTRALIAN BETTING LAW.

HIG~ COST OF SECURING CONVICTIONS. A few weeks ago the premises of 17 bookmakers, several of them leading members of the A.J.C. ring, were raided. A large amount of money was seized, and the offices were proclaimed through the Government Gazette to be common gaming-houses. For 10 days or a fortnight the premises (says the Sydney Sun of December 13) were guarded for the 24 hours of t'he clock by police, no fewer than 51 being employed for this purpose.

In spite of these facts, some of the bookmakers resumed business almost immediately, just as though nothing had happened. They simply took a room next door, and directed their clients past the police guarding ilie old office.

In a couple of weeks the announcement was quietly made that no further proceedings were to be taken against these bookmakers. All lhe money that was confiscated from the various offices during the raid was handed back. Since then other raids have been made, proceedings taken and penalties imposed, notwithstanding the fact that in one case at least, the bookmaker concerned is as reputable as any of the 17 who were white-wet-bod by the Crown. lhe inconsistency of the law in regard to betting is illustrated by the fact that if these 17 bookmakers had been convicted the State would have gained, say, £Bso—£so fine for each—but lost about £30,000 a year in betting taxes alone. For A.J.C. bookmakers pay £7O a year as a tax to the Government—not. to the A.J.C—to bet at Randwick, £2B a year to bet at suburban courses, £2B a year to bet at the ponies, and £l4 a year to bet at provincial courses, as well as from £lO to £l2 a day in stamp duty on the tickets they issue. This amounts to about £IBOO a year for each bookmaker.

. From the State’s point of view, therefore, it may be accounted had business to lose £30,000 a year for the sake of collecting one sum of £BSO in fines. For if an A.J.C. bookmaker is convicted he automatically loses his license, and the Government his £ 1800 a year

The bookmaker who brings in this revenue to the- Crown, however, is on a worse footing than the barber’s shop bookmaker, who contributes nothing and does not even use the trains and trams to go to the races. The registered man who is convicted loses his A.J.C. license and forfeits his chief means of livelihood. The other fellow pays his fine and carries on his barber's shop—and the the betting business—just the same.

Paspalum on the drained area of Terragong swamp blocks (says the Sydney Daily Telegraph’s Kiam.a correspondent) is over the fences, Bft and 9ft high, and drays may be seen laden with it going miles into the country to feed the stock on farms where the feed is anything but. as plentiful as it might be. On hilly holdings feed is short and scarce. The paspalum, in present succulent state, chaffed, makes a fine supplementary ration for the cattle. Other holdings on the area are grazing cattle, 20 to the acre, and keeping in good condition.