War Against French Bookmakers.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 206, 4 June 1887, Page 6

War Against French Bookmakers.

A Paris correspondent writes : — NotwithJ standing the tolerance with which the bookmakers were treated at Auteuil lasfc Sunday, it appears that the Government) are determined to put a stop to the operations of the betting fraternity, both on the course and in the paddock. With this object in view, M. Goblet, the Premier and Minister of the Interior, has addressed a long ch'cular to all the Prefects. M. Goblet says :—": — " Whatever may be the sophisms by the aid of which people have attempted to legitimatise the existence of bookmakers, I consider that the suppression of the betting industry on the raceourses is necessary. Betting as it is practised is a source of illicit gain for some, a cause of greater loss, if not of ruin, for the greater number, and a demoralising principle for all. " M. Goblet declares thab he has consulted with the Minister of Justice, who agrees with him in regarding the distinction which was made between betting on different parts of the race field as contrary to the principles of jurisprudence. It was, therefore, not to be maintained. For those reasons, M. Goblet begs the Prefects to transmit to the agents under their authority, the instructions necessary " to prohibit betting of any sort being enfaged in on the racecourses." This proibition is not to extend to bets made between people acquainted with each other. If, in spite of the measures which are to be taken against them, the bookmakers continue to carry on their business in an open or disguised form, they are to be prosecuted.