HUNTING THE BOOKMAKER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 2228, 4 November 1907, Page 3

HUNTING THE BOOKMAKER.

NEW GAMBLING BILL CONTAINS STRINGENT PROVISIONS.

NO MORE RACING TIPS. STIUSET betting, OR •shil ling. A-CORNER” AT EUCHRE.

Special to Times. WELLINGTON, Nov. 3. Tlio Gaming and Lottones Act Amendment Bill, which lias been introduced by tho Government, contains several provisions ot an liiipoitant character. Clause 2 contains a number of interpretations, one ot which dofines a “bookmaker” as ‘any person who acts or carries on business as a bookmaker or turf commission agent or who gains or endeavors to wain his livelihood wholly or partly by betting or making wagers. lbe owner of a house, office, room, or any land or building includos a lessee or sub-lesseo from whom a sub-lessee holds tho same, and also includes every person who is entitled to the snmo for any cstato of freehold in possession, whether legal or equitable, or is in actual receipt of or entitled to receive rent or ivlto if the house, office, room, place, land, or buildings were let to’tenant would bo entitled to receive tlio routs and profits of tho same. A section of the principal Act of 1881 provides inter alia that the term “gaming house” includes “any place where anv lottery is conducted.” For that purpose this Bill proposes to substitute “where any lottery promoted in New Zealand or any part of the business or operations of or connect*! with any lottery promoted elsewhere than in Now Zealand is conducted.” LOTTERIES FORBIDDEN. t The Act of IBSI is also amended bv providing a penalty for any person who conducts a lottery whether promoted in Now Zealand or elsewhere, and every person who manages or conducts "or assists in managing or conducting or canvasses for subscriptions to or receives any money or valuablo thing for tickets in or for any purpose connected with it. _ The Act of 1885 is amended by providing that it shall bo an oifenco to take part in a lottery “whether promoted in Now Zealand or elsewhere.” ■ Further, it is provided that a constable or person acting under instructions from any Superintendent or Inspector of Police shall not bo regarded as an offender or accomplice in tho commission of any offence against the Gaming Acts, even though under other circumstances ho might have brought himself within tho four corners of the law. Gaming .with instruments “within the view of persons in a public place” is prohibited. The Act of ISBI is also-widened by a provision preventing persons from carrying on business with a gaming house “personally or by messenger, agent, post, telegraph, telephone, or otherwise.” The penalty for wagering with an infant is increased from £2O to £IOO. It is further provided that it shall make no difference that the infant making the bet. acted as the agent of some other person. A penalty up to £IOO or imprisonment for a period not exceeding three months is provided in the following cases: (1) Any person who, being the owner or occupier or having the use of any house, room, office or place, opens," keeps, or uses the same as a common gaming house; (2) any person wlio being the owner or oeeu]flcr of ail}' bouse, room, office, or place •knowingly and . wilfully permits the same to be opened, kept, or used as a common gaming house by any other person; (3) any person having the care or management or in any manner assisting in conducting the business of any common gaming house; (4) any person who advances or furnishes money for the purpose of gaming or betting with persons resorting to any common gaming house. Any one found in a common gaming house is liable to a fine up to £5 unless he proves that he was present for some lawful purpose. Every game of chance is declared to be an unlawful game within the meaning of the Gaming Act. Any house, office, room, or place which would otherwise be a common gaming house is to be deemed to be such notwithstanding that it is a club. This, however, will not apply to chartered clubs. Places used for the purposes of an illegal lottery whether the lottery is promoted in New Zealand or elsewhere come under the definition of “common gaming houses.” The ostensible occupier of the premises is also liable, though not to the exclusion of tlie liability of any other person whether he is the real occupier or not.

SOME DRASTIC PROVISIONS. Clause 15 provides that on the affidavit of a SuiVrintendent or Inspector of Police showing reasonable grounds for suspecting that any house, office, room, or place is used as a common gaming house or as a means of access to or of exit or escape from any common gaming house, the Supreme Court may declare the place to bo a common gaming house. Provision is made by which the owner or occupier may he given notice of the hearing of the application when the place is declared a common gaming house. The fact is to be gazetted and advertised in the local papers if the premises are declared as above to be a common gaming house. The owner may determine the tenancy, and tho declaration may be rescinded by the Court on evidence being given that the place is no longer being used as a gaming bouse. When a place has been declared by the Supreme Court to be a common gaming house, any person found’entering or leaving the premises is liable to arrest without warrant, and will be held liable to a fine from £5 to £IOO or to imprisonment for. from seven days to three months unless ho can prove that his intentions were honorable. Also, while the premises are under such an interdict. no other business must be carried on there. To carry on gaming in premises after they have-been so interdicted renders the offender liable to a line not exceeding £IOO or to imprisonment lor any term up to three months. _ POWERS OF POLICE. Full power is given to any constable to enter or break into such premises while the interdict remains in force, and to arrest and search any person found therein. Any one giving warning of tho approach of a constable in sucli a case renders himself liable to a fine of £IOO or three months in gaol. Any person engaged in street betting is liable for the first offence to a fine of not loss than £2O and not exceeding £IOO, and for a. subsequent offence to three months in gaol. A bookmaker or his agent wlio” makes a bet in a street is liable to- the same penalty. The definition of ‘-’street’ ’is very wide, and a constable- is empowered to arrest an offender without a warrant. Any money paid to a bookmaker may be recovered as a debt. Any ono .wild makes a bet on a sports ground renders himself liable to a fine'lip to £2O. Also after being warned by the persons in charge of the ground he mav be removed if he does not stop wagering. If he still persists he is liable to be arrested, and on conviction to a fine up to £SO. or ono month’s imprisonment. For betting in a factory a fine up to £2O is mi-

posed. ACjECOURSE BETTING. Lastly, the Bill deals with raco meetings. It forbids -an officer, of. a racing club to accept telephonic instructions as to investment on the totalisator. Betting telegrams are not to be delivered on a racecourse. “Everv person commits- an offence and is liable to a fine not exceeding £2O. who prints, publishes, sells, or publicly oxliibits any newspaper or other document which contains any advertisement or notification by or on behalf of any person, club or association as to betting on any horse race to bo run,., whether in or out- of New Zealand, or as to investments on tlve totalisator in respect- of any such race.” Racing tips arc also prohibited, but this, does not apply to information published by a racing club oil the racecourse nor to information published after a race is run. Tho double tote is prohibited (the penalty for a breach is not less than £2O and not more than £SO), and dividends are only to bo paid in respect of ono liorso in ' any one race. No investments may bo received or made on tho totalisator after the notified time for

starting tho race, and investments must nob bo rccoivecl except at tho totnlisator. „„„„ LICENSING OF BOOKMAKERS. Tlio last- clnuso of tho Bill deals with tlio liconsing of bookmakers by racing clubs. It roads as follows: “Every racing chib which is authorised to oso tho totnlisator shall from time to time, on the application ot any person who is in the opinion of tlio committee or other managing body of such club a fit and proper person to be so licensed, grant a liconso to such person to enter on any racecourse used or occupied by such club and there to carry on business as a bookmaker. Every such licenso shall bo for such period as the club thinks fit, and tho club may charge for tho issue thereof 'any feo not exceeding £2O for every day of tho currency of such liconso.” Press Association. AUCKLAND, Nov. 2. Auckland racing men generally, approve tho new Gaming and Lotteries Bill.