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MUTUELS GAINING IN AUSTRALIA. About to Be Adopted in New South Wales Despite Much Opposition. The opponents of the totalisator have hitherto successfully combated any attempt to install it In ? ew South Wales, but at the time of writing, it seems almost certain they are at last to know de-defeat. The Premiers announcement of Wednesday last, that the National Covernment had decided to introduce a bill legalizing the use of the totalisator upon race courses did not come altogether as a surprise, as it was certain that with additional revenue so urgently needed, racing Would be exploited to a greater extent that at present. Mr. Holman and some of his colleagues are still personally averse to the machine as a revenue-raiser, but in view of the necessity of finding money for various purposes, they are waiving their prejudices. Special reference was made to the claims of returned soldiers, and the latter, in conjunction with the dependents of those who died serving the Km-piie. are undeniably deserving of all consideration. The totalisator is to be established as a govern -mint monopoly, but there is no intention of abolishing the bookmaker in this State. As in Queensland, and up to the present in West Australia, he will continue to apaoate on raccourses. presumably catering most for those backers who invest heavily; but he must not lay "toto" odds. The smaller bettor will, in most cases, turn to the machine when he becomes accustomed to its workings. This reminds me that the Preniii r stated he expected to get *1. 000. 000 from the machine for the remainder • if the financial year, which ends on June 30. On that score, I am afraid he will be woefully disnp-IHiinted. Assuming the bill passes, totalisator buildings and machines will scarcely be ready before two or three months at the earliest and even with seven per cent, us its share of a ten per cent, deduction on investments. 4,250,000 would have to go through before the Government received a gross letum of §1.000.000. With the public, us a whole. in w to the totalisator, and the bookmakers still operating, anything approaching such an amount is simply out of the question. Even with the bookmakers abolished. SI. MM. MX in such tl short period would be gratifying. It will take some time for the public to become accustomed to machine betting, and. because of that, it will not surprise me if. at first, the revenue falls considerably short of expectations. In the long run. however, there will be no comparison between the Governments return from the totalisator and its present revenue from bookmakers. — "Pilot" in Sydney Referee f December t .
