THE COLONIAL HORSE 171 



The totalisator made its first appearance in France, under 

 the name of the ' Pari-mutuel,' and its object is automatically 

 to register, and to offer, the precise odds according to the 

 relative amount of public favour and support accorded to each 

 of the competitors in a race. The use of the totalisator at New 

 Zealand race meetings was authorised by an Act of Parliament 

 whose principal object was to put down gambling-houses, public 

 sweepstakes and betting advertisements, and to substitute this 

 machine where permission for its use has been obtained from 

 the Colonial Secretary. If the resident magistrate of the 

 principal town of the district reports favourably on the applica- 

 tion of any racing club to use the totalisator, the Colonial Secre- 

 tary may give permission for the use of not more than three 

 of the machines under management of some competent person 

 appointed by the club, but on the following conditions only : 



1 . The programme of the race meeting for which the totalisator 

 is requested must have been approved by the Committee of the 

 Metropolitan Jockey Club of the district. 



2. The use of the totalisator will not be allowed to any club at 

 more than five meetings in the year. 



3. Nor to any club holding more than three meetings in the 

 year, unless an average of at least 5oo/. per diem in stakes is given. 



4. Nor to any club holding three meetings in the year, unless 

 an average of at least 4oo/. per diem in stakes is given. 



5. Nor to any club holding two meetings in the year, unless an 

 average of at least 2oo/. per diem in stakes is given. 



6. Nor to any club holding one meeting in the year, unless a 

 sum of not less than ioo/. per diem in stakes is given. 



Those who are best qualified to speak declare that the 

 totalisator has been a valuable institution in the promotion of 

 New Zealand sport. It has been the means of adding some- 

 thing like 50,0007. a year to the amount given in stakes. Before 

 it was legalised and brought into operation a race for ioo/. of 

 added money was considered a good stake, now 5oo/. is not 

 uncommon ; the smaller races were often for sums not exceed- 

 ing 257., now they run about yo/. or 8o/. 



It may easily be imagined that, in a country where there are 



