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Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3164, 19 August 1881, Page 2

The Gaming and Lotteries Bill has not yet passed its final stage. The Legislative Council disagreed with certain amendments made by the Lower House, and " managers " were selected to defend them. Since then we have heard nothing more of the measure. The Bill, 88 it emerged from the House of Representatives, says the New Zealand Times, was to all intents and purposes an impracticable measure. It had been made so strictly and unswervingly coercive that it bid fair to defeat its own intent. Instead of being what it should be, to be of any beneficial effect, an instrument to check all undue tendency to gambling in its dishonest aspect, it is, as at present devised, an instrument of oppression, a tool in the hands of the unscrupulous the intolerant, and the common informer, to work infinite annoyance on private individuals ; and the Upper House has justly exercised its prerogative in objecting to the most objectionable clauses. The reasons given are these: —The new clause introduced by the House as section 9is objected to, because, —" (1.) The words ' licensed -premises,' and 'betting house,' and 'game' have no defined meaning, (2.) It makes it penal to keep a book for entering or recording therein any 'game.' (3.) Because it makes it penal to invite any person to make a bet, whereas making a bet is not illegal." Having thus dealt with what may be termed, the unreasonable clauses of the Bill, the Council show where the House of Representatives might have been more decided in its efforts to repress an acknowledged evil. The striking out of section 15 is objected to, because the Council is of opinion that one of the most effective modes of putting down sweepstakes and lotteries is to prevent their being advertised by placards and in newspapers. Then the uew clause 49 is objected to, because it does not defer the coming into operation of the Act sufficiently long. The Council propose, —" (1.) To omit new clause 9. (2.) To amend clause 15 by the addition of the words, ' This section shall not apply to or affect newspapers which are not printed in New Zealand, and the proprietors whereof are not resident therein.' (3.) To amend clause 49 by striking out the wordsj November, 1881, and inserting in lieu thereof the words January, 1882 " A committee has been appointed from among members of the Lower House to consider these objections and amendments. It is understood that the Government object to the Bill being altered, but there is little chance of its becoming law without concessions are made, and the proposed alterations are by no means arbitrary or unreasonable.