VOTING ON THE BLIND

Chronicle (Levin), 19 October 1949, Page 8

VOTING ON THE BLIND

Betting Scheme Criticised By Mr. Langstone — — — Q WELLINGTON, Oct 18. Speaking in the second reading debate on the G-aming Bill in the House of Representatives toniglit, Mr. 1\ Langston (lloskill) expressed concern that Parliament was oeing asked to pass the measure before it knew what oii'-course betting scheme was proposed. "There is no scheme," he declared, "and I am very concerned. 'Severn montiis have gone by and I presume cney have given the matter very serxous and very careful consideration, but before this House is asked to pass legislation, that scheme should be pat before the Government and members of Parliament. ■ Vve are snnpiy voting on the oLnd. Vve don't hnow if there is a ticneme or if there 's no scheme at aii or wnetner chere is a scheme whieh will pe totally inadequate. " hlr. Langstone said that 'gamblmg •lcvejoped i >> o lnsk.iii'ts — tite spurtmg aird tne u^quisitive. i iie lutier often md lo vcjiv' .it-ni.us cousequL'iiv es indeou. Mr. Lungstuue said tuai tfie iiousc was justiuc-d in asniiig loi tne scheme iO uu Oiougut Deiore it beiore Legista iii/n uus pno&ed. "why, it 's as oad as tne oid nursery rhyme 'tiimple JSinion', .i l. auuigMono said. Mr. Muner: Vv iiat about Peter Bimpie. Mr. j.^angotOiie said ne would have vhouglit that tae svheme wouid iiavt eten evoived lu give protectiuu to tne people as well as to uiiniinate tne eviis oOiineeted with gambiing. What was the scheme to elinunaie tne booK.mak.er: ihere was no doubt that off-course oetting tuok place today. tt was simpit and eusy — the people nad only to go tu the phone oue nnnute before the end oi a race and place their bets. An ott course scheme had to be as efiicient as :hat operating today, otherwise the bookmaker would not be beaten. it there was no scheme it was posaible that the Government itself would have to provide. it. ' ' At prcsent the organisation whieh has the telephones is the only one whieh can suceessfuily eontrol oft-course betting," said Mr. Langstone. Tliere was a lot of useless labour in Now Zeaiand and instead of all the talk about more i)roduction whieh was meant for those who were already employed, attention should be turned- to thc thousande, the tens of thousands in thc useless labour class vvlio might possibiy be engaged in nefarious forms of bookmaking. Gambiing for a living was a form of "super parasitism. " Mr. Langstone said that the same old vicious principle of fractions was carried on in the prcsent Bill. Mr. Sutherland: But fractions are part of a club 's -revenue. ; Opposition member: They can't carry 011 vvithout it. Mr. Langstone said that racing was the only form of sport whieh had the use of totalisators as a means of raising i revenue. Other [)eople had to pay taxj ation right up to the hilt. | Mr. Neale: It was put on as a war , tax 30 years ago. t Mr. Langstone: Fractions and unclaimed dividonds at least should be paid over and the clubs have no moral right to tlieiu at all. Mr. W. E. Parry, in a brief reply to the debate, said he fervently believed that tht procedure adopted by the Government was eorrect. "The Government will have to carry the responsibilitv for any scheme," he said. The Bill was passed.