Illegal Betting Fostered by Ban

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 764, 10 September 1929, Page 1

Illegal Betting Fostered by Ban

MR. OPINION RACING CLUB MEETING “The prohibition of the telegraphing: of investments on the totalisator does not abolish betting away from the course, but fosters illegal betting, creates a disrespect for the law, and encourages those who defy the law.” In these words the president of the Takapuna Jockey Club, the Hon. E. W. Alison, M.L.C., in the course of his presidential address, read to the members today a.t the annual meeting of the club, supported the Gaming Bill Amendment. . “As you are all aware, there has been considerable contention over the Gaming Amendment Bill, containing two clauses only, under which the existing restrictions preventing the telegraphing of investments on the totalisator,, and the publication of dividends, would be repealed,” he said. SERVE NO GOOD PURPOSE “I do not propose to go into the ethics of gambling, but the restrictions mentioned should undoubtedly be removed, for they serve no good purpose. “The whole of the racegoers who attend a race meeting have the information openly displayed to them. Take for instance the 30,000 to 40,000 people who attend on Cup Bay at the Auckland Racing Club’s summer meeting; they are all openly informed of the dividends payable on each race, but under the existing ridiculous legislation the newspapers are barred from publishing them. FOSTERING ILLEGAL BETTING “The prohibition of the telegraphing of investments on the totalisator does not abolish betting away from the course. There is a strong and united opinion among the racing community of .New Zealand that the prohibition of telegraphing totalisator investments and of the publication of dividends has not had the result which Parliament anticipated when the Act was passed. It is felt that the removal of the restrictions referred to would not only be beneficial in the interests of racing, of the State, and to the racing community, but in addition it would go a long way to cripple the bookmaking element.

“The Prime Minister has stated that he had received communications asking him to accede to the removal of the existing objectionable restrictions, but lie could not see his way to do that, but would grant the House an opportunity of considering the matter in detail this session,” the statement concluded.