FORGOT RACES

Southland Times, Issue 21101, 5 June 1930, Page 4

FORGOT RACES

INTEREST IN FOOTBALL. TOTALISATOR DESERTED AT OTAKL (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, June 4. The all-absorbing interest in the football was piquantly displayed at Otaki yesterday. When nearing the close of the betting on the fifth race, the usual throng of patrons were milling round the totalisator when suddenly came the sound of tremendous cheering, punctuated by the voice of the announcer of 2YA at Athletic Park giving the news of the match Wellington v. Britain. Immediately racing became a s\condary consideration and the crowd rushed away from the totalisator to take up positions within earshot of the loud speakers, which had been erected on the stands for the purpose of enabling racegoers to follow the progress of the match and there they remained.

So disastrous was this to the business of the totalisator that it became necessary in the interests of the racing to cut off the broadcast throughout the greater part of the second speU, and set it going again during the slack time immediately after the race for the people simply would not leave the vicinity of the loud speakers. The closing stages of the game were "silent,” but the final announcement that Wellington had held’ its lead was received with great cheering.