THE RACING LAWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 16 October 1922, Page 4

THE RACING LAWS.

Sir George Hunter, in addressing the members of the Waipukurau Jockey Club at the annual meeting, stated the indications were that, before the session of Parliament comes to an end, legislation would Ibe passed allowing the publication of dividends and also the receiving of moneys by the secretaries of racing clubs for investment on the totalisator. Were this done the Government would appear less hypocritical. It pretends to be virtuous by endeavoring to confine gambling to the racecourse, yet has no hesitation in taking huge “rakes off” the totalisator. It legalises the machine medium for gambling, and in the same breath declares betting with the bookmaker, the human instrument, to (be illegal. It permits newspapers to print reports of race-meetings, but debars them from publishing the dividend figures. It refuses to allo'w money to be “wired” through the telegraph, yet accepts wires dealing with the races. As a. matter of fact, the object ,of the prohibition of dividends is

not attained, for as soon as a race is over the names of the winners and the amount of the dividend paid is known to those interested in every town and village in the country. Far better to be straightforward about it and have the information given in the newspapers. The present restrictions are illogical and foolish, and simply bring the general laws into contempt.