ABSURD RESTRICTION.

Shannon News, 1 December 1925, Page 3

ABSURD RESTRICTION.

QUESTION OF TOTALISATOR DIVIDENDS. < ' ' :". * Commenting on the law which forbids publication qf 'totalisator dividends in newspapers, tlie Christchurch Star says:—'Those who can do their betting at the racecourse are able to,', see at a glance What dividend. %as • been declared, touit the great army of hefitors who stay away from the v race-course, or bet on distant race meetings, have no. means of finding out promptly and. accurately what dividend any horse has paid unless they get. information from the bookmakers, who in turn have a system .' of telegraphing ,the figures from the most obscure race meetings in New Zealand. These outside bQttors, precluded from telegraphing '-money to the toialisator, are therefore thrown ~.' right into the arms of the bookmakers, who have taken care to consolidate their position with the public by scrupulous accuracy in ■'- the figures they supply. ; Tlie law, in. effect, drives all non-racecourse bet-.' ting into bookmaking channels, and , makes the bookmaker 'the'-only reli-" able and easily accessible; source from which to obtain betting .information. And the absurdity' of the Taw and.its administration is .realised.when it is ' stated that althouigh a .newspaper • correspondent may not include in his telegraphed report the amount of a dividend, Ithis information is telegraphed daily to bookmakers,and is cabled regularly to Australia and DUblished in newspapers which reach New Zealand by the next mail."