HOSTILE TO GAMBLING

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 864, 9 July 1910, Page 5

HOSTILE TO GAMBLING

. ANOTHER RESOLUTION. : (By Teleerapli—Press Association.! 1 . Auckland! July 8. .. Tho motion in connection with the gambling evil which was carried ,at the conference on Thursday between representatives of the business community of Auckland and representatives of the churches was brought"; Loi'oro the council of the. Chamber of Qoinmeico this afternoon. Tho deputation had asked that the chamber join. in -appointing a deputation to proceed.to Wellington to appeal to the Prime Minister, and to the Minister for Justice to have the legalised bookmakers' calling removed from the Statute Book of New Zealand.

When the deputation had retired, the president (Mr. J. H. Gunson) said that lie thought that every member of the oouncil would admit that it was their dear, duty to take up a question which bad reached such an acute stage, and upon which public opinion " was so strong. (Hear, hear.) From tho information available, and the experience of the past, he had no' hesitation in stating that, in the interests of tho community, bookmakers should be abolished. He moved: "That, in the opinion of this chamber, the Government committed a grave error in legalising . • position of bookmakers, and compelling racing clubs to license them, t.'.ereby facilitating and accounting for a .very large increase in., gambling, "hich operates so disastrously against extensive commercial interests throughout tile Dominion, and reduces to a low state tho commercial morality of a large section of the community. In view of tho above this chamber is totally opposed to the licensing of bookmakers by any authority whatever, ajid ur"es upon the Government (he pressing necessity of, tho early repeal of such

Mr. J. ,B. Macfarlano 1 seconded the motion

Mr. Leo. Myers said that legislation against the bookmaker would not bring about the result which they all desired, namely, tho.minimising of the gambling evil. Regarding the totalisator ho believed that ono should ™ with the other, but let them make 110 mistake—they were not going to abolish gambling by the course suggested. _ The president: We are going to cutoff its tail.

Mr. Myers: Yes; but, like the lizard jt may live without its tail. (Laughter.) a

The motion was carried,