THE GAMING BILL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 968, 8 November 1910, Page 4

THE GAMING BILL.

DRASTIC AMENDMENTS PROPOSED.

An addition has been made by Mr. E. A. Wright, M.P., to tie last of the series of amendments ho proposes moving when the Gaming Bill is in Committee. The amendment in question is the one giving power to the Minister for Internal Affairs to revoke the totalisator license of any racing club which in his opinion has committed any breach of the Act relating to race meetings or the use of the totalisator thereat. The addition makes the section apply not only to racing clubs, but to any person having the control or lease of any totalisator, or the right to work the Eame from any racing club. A further new clause which Mr. Wright intends moving ,reads as under:—"The grand total of investments in respect of any race shall be published in legible figures immediately after that race, and shall bs .prominently displayed alongside the totalisator, but shall be separate from,. and not in any way connected with, the wrrkine mechanism of. the totalisator. All such totals shall remain publicly displayed throughout the day on which the race takes place/' ; An amendment is to be moved by Mr. Clark (Chalmers) that in determining the club 3 to -which licenses shall foe grantecf preference shall be given to those clubs which use the totalisator at one meeting only in any year. Mr. Pearce (Patea.) intends moving to omit sub-clauso 2, dealing with the penalty against every pereon who makes, or offers to make, any bet or wager on' any racecourse, and substitute the following: "Every person who makes a bet with a bookmaker as to the result of any race or sport is guilty of an offence, and liable on conviction to a fine not exceeding .£lO. In any prosecution under this section no person shall be excused from answering any question' put to him when giving' evidence, on the ground that his. answer would tend to criminate him."

Mr. Pearce also intends moving an addition to Clause 4, which provides that racing clubs shall prevent bookmakers from plying their calling on racecourses, as under: — -.'.-■ "Every bookmaker shall be deemed to be an idle and disorderly person, within . the meaning of Section 49 of the Police Offences Act, 1908." A VEHEMENT PROTEST; . The following manifesto, issued by.the Citizens' Anti-Gambling League, is being forwarded to-day to members of Parliament:— "The Citizens' Anti-Gambling League, which roDresents the reform sentiment of this Dominion, desires to lodge with yon its vehement protest against the retrograde step in the Gaming .Bill, at present before Parliament. Section, 7, B, proposes to repeal the clause in' the Act of 1908 which prohibits the' publication of totalisator dividends. That clause was one of the most signal of the reforms.set on foot in 1903. Its effect has been widespread. Tote odds' betting, away • from the racecourse, has been rendered . exceedingly difficult, and that is worst of all the forms. of betting. The prohibition is the same in intention, allowing for the absence of the 'tote,' as the parallel-in tho Victorian and New South Wales Acts. It. has been accepted' without demur. There has been no newspaper outcry. Tho leading journals of the country have expressed their content. The repeal'-, of the clause is a' substantial encouragement to bookmakers to prosecute illicit streetbetting. It is a wanton infringement of tho principle of the new Bill, and will everywhere be looked upon as a concession to bookmakers, against whom Parliament sanctioned war to the knife by an overwhelming majority. We beg-you to:use your vote to defeat the repeal of. so vital a section of the 100S Act.- We wish also to express our disappointment.,that a Bill that contains so much' that the country needs, should rjike no effective attempt to grapple with the'street-betting problem. The police are utterly disheartened. Until larger facilities are' Riven, until Hie 'onus probandi' is shifted on to the shoulders of the defendant—and there are excellent precedents for doing that—the Prime Minister's motio, 'Confine betting to the racecourse,' will be impossible of. .realisation. Trusting these matters will receive your careful consideration,— (Signed) ■J. G. W. Aitken (president). J. J. North (secretary)."... ..