NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 965, 4 November 1910, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

The Gaming Bill as it reappears from the Select Committee, to which it was referred, is a very much improved measure Tho clause relating to bookmakers has 1 been amended and a aew clause on the same subject has been added. _ As the Bill now reads it makes it impossible for the book- , maker to ply his calling on any raceIn the original' Bill he was prohibited only on courses on which the totalisatoi' is used. We still fail to see why_ the Committee did not adopt the simplo course of declaring bookmaking an unlawful occupation. This would havo met the wishes of 'the bulk of the community and would at least have had the merit of removing any room for doubt as to tho intentions of the Legislature on the subjoct. It is satisfactory- to note that in dealing with the question of reducing the amount.of racing in the Dominion the Committee has , seen the wisdom of acoompljshing this by reducing the number of days' racing instead of reducing the number of tptalisator permits. This, as we pointed out on a previous occasion, is tho fairest and the best method of dealing with this phase of the question. The distribution of tho totalisator permits is to bo left to a Oommissiou to be appointed by the Government. This proposa.l appeared in the' original Bill and wo cannot quite see the> necessity for it. Tho Racing, and . Trotting Conferences havo in the past made recommendations to the Colonial Secretary m to tho issuing of theso permits, and they arc really the bost qualified bodies to deal with the matter. Tho Colonial Secretary held tho powor of voto as a safeguard ngainst an unfair allotment, and this arrangement has worked very satisfactorily, In the circumstances, the change now proposed appears quite unnecessary.

A I'OLiTico-HELiGious controversy of groat interest was attracting much attention in London towards the end of September. For a considerable time previously th« uliurol)

known as Whitofield's Central Mission Chapel had been used as a sort of Socialist hall, and a short time ago the- local branch of the Nonconformist Anti-Socialist Union moved to have the chapel deprived of its privilege of- exemption from rates. Tho union is a result of the alarm and regret with , which many Nonconformists have witnessed the weakening of spiritual Nonconformity and chapel membership resulting from tho furious political" activity ox many Nonconformist preachers. This particular chapel, it is contended, has forfeited Hβ right to exemption from rates. The following is a list of a few of the gentlemen who have led the devotions of the congregation on Sunday afternoons, .with tho subjects of their spiritual discourses: Mr. J. ' Allen Baker, M.P., on "The German Navy Scare"; . Mb. J. A. Macdonald, on "Canadian , Socialism" ; Mr. Hamsay Macdonald on. "Socialism and Freetrade in Germany"; Mr. P. W. Wilson on "Joshua's Election Address"; Mr. William George (brother of Mr. Lloyd-George) on "How the Lords Stole the Commons"; Mr, E. G. Hemmebde, M.P., on "Lords or the People. , ' One can hardly ..deny that the chapel should cease to be the political club that.it is if it''desires the privileges kept by the local authorities for purely religious institutions. On the general questipn of; the proper relation of religion to politics, which is involved in ■■the case, the Morning Post has some excellent comments, which are worthy of the attention of tho local"friends of Nonconformity. The secularisation .of Christian teaching, says the Post, is a very serious danger: The error into which the politicallyminded religious teacher in every ago is hpt to fall is that he assumes an- infallibility of judgment which is not given to man. It is perfectly true that drunkenness and debauchery are contrary to the Gospel spirit. It is also true that no man can be a Christian and not strive to lessen tho evils. These are for the believer not matters of i pinion, but assured truths. When;- however, the Cliristian sets to work to find a method for fulfilling his duty he enters another sphere. He niny think th.e licensing Bill was the best way to diminish drunkenness,' but that belief can never rise beyond a personal opinion. Directly he declares that this, and this more than any other, is the Christian wav ha is dogmatising without any rutliority. If events show him to have tyred he brings in contempt not only his i.wn judgment,, which is a matter of no importance, but also his creed. . . ' ■ We are sure that this is a thoroughly sound statement.of the position.

It will cause a good deal of surprise outside Parliament to, learn that the much-discussed Licensing Bill passed its second reading yesterday practically without debate. The Prime Minister and Mr. Hassey were the only .members to speak to tho motion for tho. second reading of the Bill, and it cannot bo said that they ■ threw very much light on the prospects of tho measure We rather that tho ai> rangevnent arrived at not to discuss tho Bill at its second reading stage must'have proved very welcome to a good many members. Those who, at the last election, pledged themselves to voto in favour of retaining tho existing law arc in the fortunate position of not having to balance the pros and cons of-this very mixed measure, but the bulk of the members of the House have to make up their mind one way or the other, and it is not an easy thing to do. There are proposals in the Bill which all can jjupport, but whether'a member 'be- "in favour of Prohibition ■Oγ against it he will find in it a great deal with which ho is not in agreement. The chief struggle between the contending parties when tho Bill reaches' its Committee stage will centre round the question of separating the, issue? tp' bo submitted pn the ballot paper. As pur readers will remember,.'at the ..present- time under the Bill an elector who. wishes to- voto NoTLicense, must ' also vote ; No-Liquor, the only .alternative being that he must vote , Continuance. A. dotermined .effort will be made to separate the issues of No-License and Pro.hibition, and on the'result of this struggle the fate of the Bill will probably depend. There will, of course, also be a keen fight over the proposal to. reduce the percentage of votes required to carry the poll from 60 to 55 per cent. A very significant remark which should not be overlooked was made by the Prime Minister last evening when explaining the Bill, Sir Joseph Ward . stated that amendment? would be necessary and rather emphasised the point that the law draftsman had directed attention to these. Amendments brought down at the last minute are sometimes very tricky things, and their full effect is not always discovered until it is too late. We would suggest that the Prime Minister should be requested to place his proposed amendments pn a supplementary order paper at once,, so that they may be carefully studied before the Bill comes on for consideration in Committee. The easy passing of the'second reading of the Bill, it: may he said in conclusion, dees not afford any real criterion as to its future fate. It has a very strenuous time ahead of it.