BETTING QUESTION.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 159, 4 January 1912, Page 8

BETTING QUESTION.

MACHp; OR BOOKMAKER ?

inquirie| by new south wales

COMMISSION.

Auckland, January 2. The members of the New South Wales Totalisatior Commission, which has been taking evidence in Auckland during the past concerning the methods of machine' betting, with a view to reporting upon the system to the New South Wales .State Parliament, this morning examined two new witnesses.

Thejshahman of the commission (Mr. R. H. i Levciu, M.L.A.) informed a Star representative that members of the commission were indebted to xYIr John Rowe, president of the Auckland Trotting Club, 1 and q member of the Racing Commission, ■ for the valuable amount of evidence i which he had supplied. Mr. Rowe had , given strong reasons for the abolition of I the (bookmaker and the restriction of | betting on the totalisatqr. Ther* were, ' he'had stated, many reputable men |ciited in the past with .the bookin&king i fraternity in Auckland—men whose word could be relied upon as their bond,and' who were in every way desirable j citizens; ibut at the same time ne (Mr. [Rowe) was opposed on principle to the ■bookmaker operating .on ,or off racecourses, or in competition with' th'» ! totalisator. He said that the machine was run entirely with a view to regulating betting, and the effect had been an improvement in the status of racing, iu the financial position of racing clubs, in the prizes offered, and in the improve-' ment of the racing stock of this country.

Asked «by the chairman did he favor submitting the question of bookmaker versus the totalisator to a referendum, Mr. Rowe had replied that he was em--" phatically of the opinion that if the question went to a referendum of the people both bookmaker and totalisator; would be abolished for all time. Another important witness examined 'by the cominission, said Mr. Levien, waa Dr. Bennett; of South Australia, now on a visit to Auckland, who had for many years been a member of the South Australian Jockey Club. Dr. Bennett supI plied members with much interesting .information concerning the successful' operations of the totalisator in his State. Since the abolition of the bookmaker the totalisator had been the onlj system of betting allowed, and it was on all sides admitted that the machine provided the most honest way of betting, Ie making their own odds. He 3 satisfied that the totalisator striotive' influence, and was ill 7 preferable to the bookmaker, tting was quite unknown, and' ce of this evil in his State was e strongest arguments he could n favor of the totalisator. I ASKea oy a member, of the commission whether the laying of odds was not ca»'ried on illegally in, South Australia by, bookmakers, Dr. Bennett replied that it ' could only be in the same manner as sly grog-selling obtained, and as an illegal practice. The • authorities were alway* on the watch if or it, and he did not believe it prevailed to any extent.

| Mr. Bruntnell, M.L.A., this morning took the opportunity of expressing his' disappointment that those members of the community interested in the vital and important subject had not come forjward more freely to assist the commission in the inquiries it was making. , The commission's report when presented to the State Parliament would have'* considerable bearing on future gaming legislation in New South Wales. The commission had .repeatedly ■announced through the newspapers how desirous it was of obtaining every possible view upon the position obtaining in New Zealand, and although it had been taking evidence in Auckland for ten days it was disappointed to find that those who wore opposed to gambling had not come forward to assist them in forming an idea of how the gaming legislation of jthis country was operating . . I To-morrow, morning the commission j brings its sitting in Auckland to a close, and Mr. A. E. Glover, M.P., and the j Revs. Howard Elliott and D. D. Scott i will be amongst the witnesses examined.

CLERGYMEN'S EVIDENCE.

By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. ■The_ New South Wales Totalisator Commission heard evidence of representatives of the Ministers' Association today. The Rev. Howard. Elliot said the tote encouraged betting, as its apparent respectability induced people to use it who would never bet with a bookmaker. The gambling spirit had become so widespread that employers who recently discussed the hold gambling had got on th* public, declared that the employment of women was in many instances more desirable than the employment of men, because the minds of the latter were bo occupied with racing. The Rev. Scott said he believed public feeling was against the tote, and if a referendum were taken it would be wiped out.