THE RACING COMMISSION

Gisborne Times, Volume XXX, Issue 3416, 6 January 1912, Page 7

THE RACING COMMISSION

CONCLUDE AUCKLAND SITTING.

, VIEWS ON THE TOTE. “A REFERENDUM WOULD ABOLISH BOTH TOTE AND BOOKIE. /.SPECIAL TO TIMES.] AUCKLAND, Jan. 5. This morning the members of the New South Wales Totalisator Commission left for Rotorua, after having spent some ten days in Auckland, inquiring into the working of the Totalisator, and gathering the evidence of witnesses qualified to speak on the subject. The Chairman (Mr. R. H. Levien), informed an interviewer prior to the departure of the Commission, that his fellow Commissioners were highly pleased with the reception which had been accorded them while in Auckland. They had had the opportunity of attending the Auckland Racing Club’s Summer Meeting and also the Auckland Trotting -Club’s annual fixture. The' Commission haWalso had the opportunity of taking evidence g] r George Clifford, and many of the leading sportsmen in New Zealand, while they were in Auckland, and had also heard the views of the clergy, and the supporters of the bookmaker. Altogether the Commission was highly pleased concerning the large amount of valuable evidence it had been able to gather in this city, and their visit had at the same time been exceedingly pleasant and enjoyable. -As to the views of the Commission, Mr. Levien could, of course, say nothing. Their report and recommendations would in due course be submitted to the New South Wales State Parliament.

Mr. A. Bruntnell, M.L.A., was also enthusiastic concerning the treatment members of the Commission had received while in Auckland. Referring to the work of the Commission, Mr. Bruntnell said that for many years there had been division of opinion in New South Wales as regards the bookmaker and the tote, the bookmaker only having up to the present been allowed to operate. Personally, lie was opposed to gambling in any form, be it on the racecourse, the stock exchange, or the street, hut he recognised the futility of endeavoring to absolutely prevent men and women making wagers if they wanted to. The best way thereofre, was to make the facilities for betting as remote and unattractive as possible. The feeling of the New South Wales State Parliament on this question had yet to be ascertained, but he did not think that the State Government favored the introduction of the Totalisator. Personally, he thought the outcome of the Commission’s report might be the submitting of the question of bookmaker or Totalisator, or both, to a referendum of the people'. If it were left to the public to choose between the two, he believed the bookmaker would be abolished and the Totalisator established in New South Wales.

Mr. J. C. L. Fitzpatrick, M. L.A., when seen on the same subject, said the Commission had had an excellent opportunity of studying the operations of the tote at both Ellerslie and Alexandra Park, and the evidence gathered in Auckland had certainly been very valuable. For twenty years there had been counter agitations at work in New South Wales concerning the bookmaker, and the tote. So far as the present State Parliament was concerned, he did not think either the Government or the Opposition wanted to legislate in favor of the Totalisator, but so much had been said on the subject that it had been decided to set up a Commission to inquire into the working of both, hence their investigations in this country. Personally, he did not think that the Commission’s investigations and recommendations would result in the taking of a referendum. In his opinion the taking of a referendum in New South Wales would result, just as most witnesses giving evidence in Auckland feared a referendum would result in New Zealand, that .is, in the wiping out of both the Totalisator and the bookmaker. . Mr. Fitzpatrick added that a comparison between racing in New Zealand and Australia revealed some marked difference. The absence of the noisy ring and the substitution of the silent tote was, of course, one of the most noticeable things, but equally great was the contrast in Auckland racecourse crowds. Auckland was not Sydney, hut still the crowd of 30,000 on Cup Day, was considerable, and all the Commissioners were impressed with the remarkable orderliness and sobriety of the crowd. The volume of betting as disclosed by the returns of the machine for four clays would, however, he said, give the Commission something to cogitate over. The Commission will spend several days at Rotorua, then goes on to Wellington and Christchurch, taking evidence at each place. Subsequently the Commission proceeds from the Bluff to Australia and continues its investigations in that country.