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CONTROVERSY OVER WAGERING SYSTEM. In Vest Australia tkCf are having a bit o " a tontroversy over the retention of th" boskmakiag system as sratart the maintenance of the totaliza-tor exclusively on the race courses of that state. The State Parliament has not completed the legislation introduced by the government to conlino speculation to the "tote." and the bookmakers are battling for their existence. Some of the incidents of the campaign, reported by The Perth Mail, make amiisicg reading: "At the Town Hall meeting the Rev. S. II. Cox weal bald -headed against the bookmaker, but later lie stated he could see no reason why the bookmaker snoafti be akottskOd and the totalizator left to do increased business. 1I» addressed a number of members of Tattersalls the bookmakers club in the strangers* 100111. at the invitation of one of ih members, and later lie reiterated his remarks from the pulpit. His congregation included a number of bookmakers, with whom he subsequently had a chat in Iks vestry. In the course of his remarks the reverend gentleman made certain statements akoot the attitude of the government, and later be indulged in a press controversy with the Colonial Secretary, Mr. Colebateh. "Mr. I olebatchs replies to Mr. Cox were, to say the least, smart and decidedly cutting.. Just a passage as an instance: Mr. Cox says: 1 do not believe Mr. Colebateh: his aim and that of the treasurer is merely to get more revenue. And yet he has the hardihood to say that that is no personal reflection. Let m? ask how he would feel if I made a parallel statement regarding himself, as, for instance: The Rev. S. H. Cox says he is opposed to the bookmaker, root and branch, and is adopting the attitude most likely to lead to his abolition. 1 do not believe him: I think he is merely adopting an eccentric attitude as an advertisement in the hope of keeping his church full and benefiting the collection plate. Surely that would be a grossly insulting statement, and it is merely the equivalent of what the reverend gentleman has said about me." "Of course, all this publicity is. from the bookmakers point of view, doing more harm than good, as it is likely to cause lukewarm members of Parliament, who might have voted for the retention of the bookmakers, to change their minds. Besides, it is stirring up the opposition, and even the members of the Perth City Council."
