THE TOTALISATOR.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 17, 3 January 1912, Page 6

THE TOTALISATOR.

A CLERGYMAN BEFORE THE COMMISSION. THE ‘TOTALISATOR TOUT.” (Per Press Association.) Auckland, January 3. The New South Wales Totalisator Commissioners heard the Revs. Howard Elliott and .1). 0. Scott/ representing the Auckland Ministers’ Association, who came forward at the request of the Commissioners. Roth clergymen were present at the Ellerslie races yesterday. Mr. Elliott contended that the totalisator encouraged betting. There were people wild would hot with the totalisator who would not het with a bookmaker. The totalisator lent an appearance of respectability and safety. If compelled to have cither the totalisator or bookmaker he would have the totalisator, on the understanding that all money went to municipalities. Replying to a statement that the totalisator enabled big prize money, the witness stated that the prize money in Now South Wales was far greater than the average prize money in New Zealand. Witness knew that touting for tote betting existed. To a very great extent the touts visited factories and workshops and gathered sixpences and shillings from boys and girls who were not themselves allowed to attend races, and readily supported the total'sator tout. A bookmaker’s tout could not do this under the existing law, but the totalisator touts could.