OPEN LETTER TO MR. MASSEY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1860, 20 September 1913, Page 13

OPEN LETTER TO MR. MASSEY.

Hon. \V. F. Massoy, Esq., M.P., Prime Minister. Dear Sir, — 1 liave to advise you tlmt a meeting of the Wellington Citizens' Anti-Gambling League lias been held,, over which 1 presided. I explained that tlio object of the meeting was to consider what action should be taken with regard to tho Gaming Amendment Bill, which had been introduced by Mr. Hunter, M.P. It had been generally assumed that tho Bill was buried with other Bills introduced by private members, but in view of your statement, that the Houso would bo given a--clianco of reading it a second time, that assumption was premature. Tho effect of the Bill was to increase the number of racing days from 250 to '280, but tho extra thirty days were to be limited to clubs which did not already hold a totalisator license. The idea, evidently, was to help tho smaller institutions. No doubt tho country meetings were far less mischievous than those held near tho larger centres of papulation, and tliorel'ore the transfer of licenses from the latter to the former might have been welcomed, but this would not bo tho effect of Mr. Hunter's Bill, and tho proposal to make a large increase in tho number of totalisator licenses, as fixed by Parliament, after very careful consideration in 1010, must, of course, be strongly resisted.

Mv. A. H. Atkinson said they woro in entire agreement with the chairman. Ho suggested that tho resolution of protest would suffice at tho present stage, but they must be ready to take further activo measures if tho Bill received ft secopd reading, nnd was then to ho given further facilities by tho Government. Ho moved that: "That this meeting strongly protests against tho proposal of the Gaming Amendment Bill now hoforo tho House, to revise and authorise a largo increase in the nuiyber of totalisator licenses, and urges the Government not to permit further facilities at this stage of tho session for tlio passage of a,measure so inimical to tho popular wclfaro, and that copies of this resolution he forwarded to tho Prime Minister and the newspapers." "The motion was seconded by Mr. Falconer, and carriod.—l am, etc., JOHN G. AV. AITKEN. Wellington, September 19.