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SPREAD OF THE MUTUELS MACHINE. Not Only Ett Australia Legalized the Totalizator, but England Talks of It. Heralding a world-wide change in the handling of betting features in connection with lies ■ racing conies the information that New South Wales. Australia, has followed the lead of New Zealand in legalizing tie- totalizator, a machine system of wagering. From London also conn s the news that at tlie last meeting of the English Jocko Club a petition signed by prominent horsemen in England and Ireland, calling for the introduction of the pari-m utucl machine betting, was given consideration. Australia and England, as is well known, are the greatest racing |ioints on the globe. At present the island colonies lead the mother country, In-cause of the war. and the fact that they are turning to the machines for a syst -m of betting is taken as a sign of the ultimate passing of tic bookmaker. The bill was introduced in the New South Wales legislative body shortly before Christmas, and after some spirited opposition it passed both lion- s by an overwhelming majority. The bill provides for tlie government to secure seven per cent of the money that is wageied iii the totalizators, with three per cent altowtd the clubs for a sinking fund, making, all tohi. eleven per cent. This is considered a rather mctaalre tax on the followers of the sport who are speculatively inclined. Records kept of the amount of money wagered in the totalizators in use in New Zealand are rather astonishing, and are evidence of the amount of revenue that will be secured by the government for charitable purposes. The turnover for last season aggregated .S2t.275.000, according to figures that were iutiodiie.il in the legislative body. The government retain the power of naming the courses on which the totalizators are to be erected and will regulate purses, etc. Putting up the bars against the bookmakers in •Sydney came a- a big surprise, and is an indication of the popularity ami effectiveness of the machine betting. In England toe Jockey Club was unable to act on tie- suggestion of the horsemen for a switch to the pari mutucls. the reply being given that it would hardly be proper, while the country is at war, to devote so much attention and prominence to the turf sport. Judging from the remarks and comments in the London papers, it would not be unexpected if such a move is made when racing is fully restored again. The pari-mutuel system of wagering was first introduced in France and proved successful in eliminating many of the evils that surrounded book-inaking. The state of Kentucky saw merit in the foreign innovation, and after racing had been legislated out of existence it was brought back sein yens ago with a state racing commission and the pari-uiutuels. Kentuckys experiment was instrumental in building 111 the sport today to its highest standard. Horsemen and breeders, along with the track owner-, have profited, and the public has shown its fever for the machines by turning out in large numbers. Maryland then took up the machines, and Nevada followed suit a year or so ago. All through Canada this past season the machines ousted the bookmakers, and now in Mexico, at the Juarez truck, the "iron men" arc handling the wagering situation.
