THE GAMING LAWS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 840, 11 June 1910, Page 10

THE GAMING LAWS.

Sir,—The nenr approach of the Parliamentary session emphasises the lieeil tor activity on the part of those who tiesire to see the gaining laws of the country further "amended. The condition of things at present is not short of tragical. We are not only cursed with tne totnlisator, which endows racing, and which has multiplied clubs and stakes, and drawn into a had business a large capital and a large following; but we have, as well the licensed bookmaker who infests the streets, haunta our public houses, and bawls the odds on every course in the land. In spite of tho legislation which prohibits bookmakers' offices in the city, a large central office has been opened and called the Tattersall Club. No other Australian State is so badly circumstanced. We have a Government which is anxious to reform things, and which has yet brought us to this impasse. Sir Joseph has suggested submitting both the totnlisator and the bookmaker to relerendum. We believe that he and the Government must be made to feel that something -must be done, and that at once. The newspaper press are, so far as we'see, unanimous in demanding riforni. I'or our part, we are for destroying . the bookmaker first and the totalisator second. Wo hold that no public facility should be given to gambling. We are ages behind • America in our legislation on this subject; we are also right in the rear of tho Australian States. The Australian' State which has the-"tote" has now a Parliamentary majority against it. Victoria and New South Wales have but one nuisance each, where we have two. We propose to organise a deputation of, say, 500, representing tho colony so far as possible, in order to urge on the Government the necessity of doing something at once to improve the situation! We invite correspondence on the subject.—l am, etc., J. J. NORTH,. Secretory Citizens' ■ Anti-Gambling League. Wellington, June 7, 1010.