RECENT TREND

Taranaki Daily News, 24 September 1940, Page 9

RECENT TREND

(By "Hurry On.")

NOW MORE POPULAR PUBLIC EDUCATED

The win-and-place system of totalisator investment appears likely to be almost universal in New Zealand before the close of the present season. When the system was first introduced bv the Taranaki Jockey Club it swept the country but it was not long before objections began to be raised in 'certain quarters and many clubs could not get back to the old 75-25 method quickly enough. ! Some of the methods used by the opponents of win-and-place were ingenious and a story is told of how one wellknown club was influenced to revert to the old method. Just prior to a meeting of the committee every member received a telegram demanding a return to the single pool system. The members were to some extent influenced by the telegrams and reverted to the old method. Not until afterwards, when certain members put their heads together, was it found that one man had sent all the telegrams. Wise Councils Prevail. Fortunately for New Zealand racing many level headed administrators refused to be influenced by this propaganda and in some cases even went to the extent of ignoring recommendations from annual meeting of members, to. retain the win-and-place. In their own minds they were ponvinced that it was the only logical method and that all the public needed was educating. The Canterbury Jockey Club and the Wellington Racing Club gave the lead by installing expensive machinery that could operate only on the win-and-place system and the progressive Waikato Clubs at no stage wavered in their faith in the win-and-place.

Ebb of the Tide. At the win-and-place system's darkest hour the Taranaki Jockey Club was. practically the only club outside Wellington in the southern part of the North | Island that retained it, while in the north the two powerful clubs, the Auckland Racing Club and the Avondale Jockey Club, were still retaining the old system. The demand for the win-and-place system, however, was one that even the most powerful clubs were unable to ignore. Auckland and Avondale changed over, Taranaki became a win-and-place block and the Wellington and West Coast clubs began to follow suit. The Present Position. To-day the Auckland and Taranaki provinces have universally adopted the win-and-place system while among the Wellington-West Coast clubs Manawatu and Wanganui are the only ones holding out. In their cases the position would probably be reversed but for the expense involved in the changing of electric totalisators installed in the old single-pool days. Nevertheless even these clubs will have seriously to consider making the change, especially if their meetings draw good fields. They must not forget that the general public like three chances of collecting a dividend and also that those used to attending win-and-place gatherings do not appreciate second horses returning only a of the investment.