Catering for Small Bettor

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1068, 4 September 1930, Page 12

Catering for Small Bettor

FIVE-SHILLING TOTE “NEW ZEALAND REFEREE’S” VIEWS It is a coincidence that only a short while after a racing club situated “not a hundred miles from Auckland” (to use a stock phrase) had under consideration the making of provision whereby a five-shilling totalisator would be a feature of their meetings that this week’s “New Zealand Referee.” in its editorial columns, made passing reference to the five-shilling totalisator. The article is as follows: “It is highly amusing in times such as the present, when the public are searching every possible avenue for cheaper commodities and cheaper sport, to find racing clubs debating the advisability of discarding the ten shilling windows on their totalisators and retaining only £1 and £5 betting units. All Or Nothing “The question has exercised the minds of racing club stewards in most centres, but those who have pledged their adherence to the cause of the modest bettor have invariably been blessed with better results than those who subscribe to the ‘whole-or-nothing’ principle. ! “With the neck strings of the public exchequer being more tightly pulled, the present moment provides splendid opportunity for reflection on the subject. The racing public, due to the exigencies of the day, are spending less money on racing than they were j six months ago. The cry of the lasi year has been, 'buy in a cheaper market,’ and it seems opportune for racing clubs to seriously consider the staging of what might be termed a bargain or sale day for the public. Half-Price Day “Half-price days always catch the ! people. The thought of something ‘ cheaper appeals to human emotions, j

and, with the experience of the ten- j shilling totalisator behind them, clubs j would undoubtedly find an increase in • patronage if they introduced a cheaper form of betting’. Almost without excep- : tion, racing clubs which have reduced | their minimum betting unit from i £1 to IDs have experienced a bigger turnover, and the time has arrived for offering further opportunity for the pubiic to wager within their means. “In England the public can bet down as low as two shillings, which is as ; ; far as some people care to bet, while j ! in Australia the totalisator minimum is ! | five shillings. New Zealand, which is i supposed to set the standard in the democratic management of sport, still blindfiy adheres to higher minimums

of wagering without ever attempting to estimate the extra revenue which could be attracted by a cheaper form. Five Shilling Totalisator “The defence raised some years ago that the reduction from £1 to 10s would result in a decline of totalisator investments was not sustained. Lately there has been a decline, but due to ! other circumstances. It is hardly likely that a further reduction to a five shilling window would lose one penny of the money which at present is handled. On the other hand, it probably would attract a good deal more. “The public must be the primary consideration when racing policy is under review since they provide the money to maintain the sport. Anything directed toward bringing more people within the scope of racing must be a move in the right direction.”

KACINCj fixtures SEPTEMBER 6 . . Marton J.C. 11, 13 .. Wanganui J.C. 13 .. .. Otago Hunt Club. 20 . . .. Ashburton C’ty R.C. 20, 22 .. Avondale J.C. 25, 27 .. Geraldine R.C. 27 .. .. Hawke’s Bay J.C. OCTOBER 4 .. .. Napier Park R.C. 4 . . .. Kurow J.C. 4, 6 . . Auckland R.C. 9, 11 .. Dunedin J.C. 10, 11 .. Otaki-Maori R.C. 16, 18 .. South Canterbury J.C. IS .. .. Masterton R.C. 25, 27 .. Wellington R.C. 27 .. .. Waverley R.C. 27 .. .. Waikato Hunt Club. 27 .. .. Waipawa County R.C. 27 . . .. North Canterbury R.C 27, 29 . . Gore R.C. 30, Nov. 1 Poverty Bay T.C. NOVEMBER 1 .. .. Banks Peninsula R.C. 1 .. .. Carterton R.C. 5 .. .. Birchwood Hunt C. 6, S .. Whangarei R.C. S, 10, 12, 15 Canterbury J.C. 13, 15 .. Dargaville R.C. 15, 17 .. Waikato R.C. 19, 20 .. Winton J.C. 22 . . .. Levin R.C. 22, 24 .. Te Kuiti R.C. 29, Dec. 1 Tskapuna J.C. 29, Dec. 1 Feilding J.C.