BETTING CARDS AND THE POST OFFICE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1670, 10 February 1913, Page 5

BETTING CARDS AND THE POST OFFICE.

STATEMENT BY THE HON. R. H. •'. ; ; RHODES.;; •'••■='■'. • -•" (By Telegraph—Press AGSoclatibn.) ' Chrlstchiirch,':.February 9. Tho Hon. R. Hcaton Rhodes, Postmas-ter-General, arrived from 'Wellington today and leaves by tho first express tomorrow for Duhcdin, Queenstown, and Mount Cook. -:.'. In. an interview, the-Minister referred to an articloin : 'a local newspaper; allegt ing that the Postmaster-General is aiding and übetting bookmakers in offering incitements to young men to gamblo on hcreo races by delivering bottnif' cards posted by bookmakers. Mr. Rhodes: said that undoubtedly, by Section 28, of tho Post and Telegraph.Act, 1908, tlio Post-master-General has tho right to 'prevent tho delivery of correspondence to ilny person, either in New Zealand or abroad, who, ho has.reasonable grounds to.suppose, is engaged in receiving any money as consideration for. assurance expressed or implied to pay monoy on an event relating to a horso race. That is to say, shortly, who is engaged in betting. That betting cards are sent through the post is a matter of common knowledgo to tho Postmaster-General, and his officers. '■ If these letting cards aro sent in'j'open envelopes they are open to tho sohitiny of a postmaster who,then may reasonably bo supposed to be at liberty to' take'action in regard to them as, allowed. l and prescribed by Section 30 of the Act. ..When the cards aro enclosed in envelopes tho post offico is in a different position. Apart from the fact that presumably a postal officer has no means of ascertaining tho contents of a closed, postal packet, tho Postmaster-General deprecates in his officers any system of prying or espionage in respect oven of open packets, and officers aro expected, and aro acoustomed. only to ohallengo such breaches of tho law as their usual duty, discharged in the usual way makes them cognisnnt Of. Tlio fact of an infraction of tho provisions of tho law and of coming under animadversion of Section 28' of ,tha Act this becomes a matter, of legal i proof peno'rally on tho part of persons outside the post omco. When such proof is offered tho Postmaster-General, ho is under tho necessity of taking notico of it. In any easo ihe matter has again to be referred to tho Solicitor-General with the view oF ascertaining what, if any. resDonsiljillly tho Postmaster-General has to toko further action.-