The Dominion. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1911. THE GAMING BILL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1227, 8 September 1911, Page 4

The Dominion. FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1911. THE GAMING BILL.

The country racing clubs which have been hoping to secure some redress for the hardship they have been forced to endure, under the Gaming Act of last session, by the passing of the amending Bill in charge of Mr. Jennings, had their hopes shattered last evening by the treatment, the measure received at the hands of the House of Representatives. Most people interested in tho subject know that last session an Act was passed reducing the number of totalisator permits to be issued to racing ancl trotting clubs, and a Commission was set up to apportion the permits remaining amongst the various clubs.. The result was that many country clubs were practically wiped out of existence and some of these were carrying heavy liabilities. The Bill introduced by Me. Jennings was designed to restore to some of the clubs the right to one totalisator permit a year each; this increase not to affect the permits already recommended to be issued by the Racing Commission, save in the case of the Marton Club, which was to have its number reduced by one-half—name-ly, from two to one. No one probably will dispute the fact that in most cases a very seriou3 hardship has been inflicted on the clubs which have been deprived of their right to use tho totalisator, it being one of their chief sources of revenue. But Parliament having decided on the reduction in the number of permits, this was inevitable. The country clubs feel, however, that they have been made to suffer at the expense of the larger clubs in and near tho cities and as the country members are in a majority in Parliament there seemed at one stage a hope of readjustment. Mr.. Jennings's Bill did nob provide for a readjustmentit provided for an increase in the number of permits to be issued. The proposal was reasonable enough-— each of the clubs named was only to receive one permit a year. But there is a strong element in the House opposed to the totalisator and opposed, indeed, to any form of gambling. _ This element rendered it well-nigh impossible for any private member to hope to pass a Bill of the nature of that introduced by Jin. Jennings. But more than that, tho dragging of the question on the floor of the JTouso in this way might very possibly cause a serious split in the. ranks of thbso who believe that it is better to have a restricted use of the totalisator than risk the introduction of other worse forms of gambling. The issue of country v. metropolitan racing clubs is a dangerous one to fight out in Parliament, and any step in that direction is more likely to play into the hands of the opponents of the sport of racing than to benefit either of .the contestants. The Government

hr.s been blamed for not coming right out into the open on Hit. Jennings's Hill, but no doubt Ministers arc well aware that their own followers arc divided on the question. Sin Joseph Ward, in suggesting that the Bill should be referred to the Racing' Commission with a view to ascertaining whether tho Commission was prepared to amend its recommendations to meet the proposals embodied in tho measure, probably did not expect anything to come of his suggestion. It is doubtpresented its report, has any power ful whether the Commission, having to recommend and readjust the allocation of totalisator permits already decided on. Nevertheless the Pr;jie Minister averted what would no doubt have been a long and useless discussion. Tho House plainly was not iu the humour to pass the Bill in its present form and probably the present Parliament never will pass it. The racing clubs will havo to live in hopes of the new Parliament, to be elected this year, treating them more generously.