NIGHT TROTTING

Evening Post, Volume CXXVII, Issue 3, 5 January 1939, Page 13

NIGHT TROTTING

FIGHT IN MELBOURNE

Melbourne wants night trotting, but so far legislative permission has not been securable. The difficulty has been to get Parliament to agree to betting at such meetings. The Night Trotting Bill was before Parliament just before the Christmas recess last month. When the Bill was returned from --the Legislative Council the amendment made by the. Council, which prohibited betting at night trotting meetings and at the same time made it illegal for bookmakers to operate at race meetings,, was rejected by the Assembly. When the Bill was returned to the Council it was decided not to insist upon the amendment. Then another amendment was substituted to remove any doubt or ambiguity regarding the intention of the Council. The new amendment prohibited' betting at night trotting meetings either by means of the totalisator of bookmakers. was agreed to and the Bill was returned to the Assembly. There, at the instigation of the Chief Secretary, it was decided not to accept the amendment, which - was rejected by 22 votes to 20. The Ministry will not persevere with the Bill this session, and it was shelved. It is likely that another attempt will be made to get the Bill-through. Parliament during the next session, when the: Ministry hopes that the Council will be induced to agree with betting at night trotting. '