TIN HARES.

Shannon News, 2 August 1927, Page 2

TIN HARES.

SCHEME TURNING TO GOLD. NEW RACING IN N.S.W. SYDNEY, July 14. _ Considerable controversy is raging in Sydney at present concerning the operation "of the Greyhound Coursing Association, Ltd., a company which has pioneered the use of tin hares in New South Wales, and which, unlike most pioneers, is cleaning up a fortune at a remarkable rate. The tin hare was introduced to Australia by Judge Swindell, formerly of U.S.A., where similar ventures are numerous. Soon after his arrival in New South Wales, the Chief Secretary of the time introduced a bill amending the Gaming Betting Act. in certain directions. The Crown Law Department advised the AttorneZ-General that betting upon electric liare racing would be illegal, and the Chief Secretary thereupon included in his bill provision to legalise betting on racecourses where the electric hare was used. Parliament, on two occasions rejected the bill with the betting proviso included. The At-torney-General agreed with the Crown .Caw "Department that the betting was dlegal also. Sul (sequent, however, to the recent change in the New South Wales Cabinet, the new Attorney-General, witli{ut resort to Parliament, minuted the papers to the effect that betting was legal, and in consequence for the past month, bookmakers have ben operating at the‘tin hare coursing meets. With their advent, the “dogs” have become the vogue with the sporting fraternity, and in enormous crowds flock to Epping Racecourse every Saturday night.

With a capital of £20,000, of Avhich Judge SAviiulell’s holding is represented by more than 9000 shares, the company is making £2OOO profit a Aveek, and any shares on offer are quoted at nothing less than £lO each nowadays. And the Treasury hoav has its eye on the tin hare venture as a possible source of reA r eime for the State. So far, not even the betting tickets used there arc liable to tax.

There is uoav talk of contesting the legality of the ucav Attorney-General’s rul’iig that betting is legal. Counsel’s opinion has been obtained for and against, and Avhile the position is being hotly discussed, 300 bookmakers are waiting for accommodation to be made so that they can bet on the races. Already 100 bookmakers haA r e stands on the course, Avhicli is proving too small to accommodate the croAvds. If the courts decree that betting is legal there, the fortunes of the feAV investors in the company are assured. Profits already i indicate a return of more than 100 per cent., while there is talk of a bonus issue of scrip, though the sport has been in vogue only a feAV months. The racing itself is most interesting to watch, there being as many as seven starters in some of the courses. The hare is manipulated by electricity controlling a long arm on which the tin structure, covered Avith the skin of a real hare, is held. First the hare is taken round in front of the cages in Avhich the greyhounds are held, going very slowly. Next time round it is moA-ing sAvjftly, and at a signal from the starters, the doors of the cubicles are raised and the dogs, already intrigued by the sight of the hare, da&h out ami start on the chase. The tin hare is so arranged that the man manipulating it can increase the pace Avheu there is any danger of the dogs overtaking it. On one occasion a dog did so, and suffered such injuri" that he had to be destroyed.