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, AUSTRALIAN B00KMAKING FEES. Fleams M to she number of bookmakers doini; business at the suburban "horse" meetings in Sydney are nor available to Ihe general public, but Ihe "pony" dubs are not so suet tree in this matter, evidently being limit raid thai it should be known they are gettiag a big revenue in the way of betting fees. Pace course attendances have greatly in-cicasii] darfatg ihe past couple of years, aud this has naturally "led to the licensing of a greater number of bookmakers. In connection with the four metropolitan "pony" clubs a man cannot choose inn must rake out a license for the lor. which, to liet in the paddock, means a total of l?300 and in the leger 59 for three mouths. For the current quarter 96 licensee have been taken out for ihe paddock anil 117 fur the leger. which means that ihe four clubs have already received a total of 1914.sh0,850 in fees. As ii is improbable there will be any falling off in regisi rat ions for the next three natters, ihe four "pony" clubs between them will. on the above basis, receive no less than 03,400 for betting privileges during the year. And then there is the amount paid to the Sydney "horse" clubs for a similar purpose to be taken into con s, deration. The Australian Jockey Club receipts in thai direction will be S75.000 for the current year, and 1 do ii"! suppose thai between them lloseliill. Mooreiieid Canterbury1 Park and Warwick Farm will receive less than another 96,999. The Hawkefsbuxj Lacing Club, and the two trotting clubs havi also to lie taken eato i iiilrti is Hon. caaee-quentlj it is no exaggeration to say that in connection willi racing in The metropolitan area of Sydney the first charge on the public is mi.ooO annually !,•! bookmakers licenses. Then there are numerous dubs just outside tie- 40 miles radius to be taken into scceautt. We are inclined to make j fuse about the amount of prize money distributed in Sydney, hut the duke can well afford to he libera, -some might lie more- so -when such a tremendous revenue is derived from one source, in view of the book soakers being able to pay fully 00,000 in bare registration fees to do business n •neeiings of metropolitan clubs, it would be inter • stills to know Ah.it Sydneys annual betting turn otm sctuallv totals Pilot, in Sydney Referee.
