GAMING LAW

Gisborne Times, Volume LXI, Issue 9849, 30 October 1924, Page 5

GAMING LAW

THIRD I READING PASSED

AIR. ISITT ATTACKS -THE PRESS INNOCENT MR. EDIE.

WELLINGTON, Oct. 29. After a long and somewhat dreary, debate, in) which members repeated their former criticisms to a great extent, the Gaining Bill passed its third reading in the House at 2.20 a.mi. today. There were, of course, strange political bcd-felloivs during the acrimonious discussions that have taken place on the Bill. It was interesting, for instance, to watch Messrs. Isitt and Wright contorting with the Labor members in their endeavors to block the Bill. Air. Isitt mails an attack on what he termed the Capitalistic! press after replying to statements concerning this new. found brotherhood with the Labor party on the Gaming; Bill, by pointing out that, when the Bill was before the House last session, ho had had the support of. several of the. Labor members. Air. Isitt raised a laugh by stating; that, at a certain stage of the “stonewall” on the measure, lie' returned to the House and found his “party” in confusion in the.lobby. A little lat&r Air. Isitt delivered a heated attack uponi the press of the country. “I don’t know whether it is the case,” he sold, “hut T have just had a note harJclcd to me to the effect that the press are taking no notes ,of my remarks. If that is, true, I am very glad it is so, because it supports all that I say about the manifest-unfairness of this finance-controlled press. Fight any moral evil —drink or gambling-—and you have the whole of the press of the colony againist you and they are unscrupulous in the, methods they adopt in misrepresenting your attitude and your actions.”

Air. J. McCombs (Lyttelton) : “Como over here, brother. Come over here.” (Laughter.) AIR. EDIE HUMOROUS BUT IN-

CONSISTENT

The House got a lot of fun out of Air. Edih, the member for Clutlia, who does not 7 pose as an authority on racing. He got out of his depth in the Gaming' Bill debate last night. Hei was telling the,House lie had been informed that bookmakers were “betting'doubles whatever that meant.” Air. Wilford (pulling Air. Edic’s leg): You moan doing it twice over! Air. Edie (in all innocence): “Yes, that’s it.”

The House rippled with laughter. Mr. Edie said that the New Zealand bookmakets were laying doubles on two New Zealand horses —-Gnica.se and another —for the AJelbourne Cup. Mr. Wilford; GineasoP You mean G uncase?

Air. Edie: Gincase, and both these horses are still in New Zealand 1 .

Air. Corrigan: If it’s a gin case it will never get there. Air. Edie had strongly condemned the increase in permits and had said that, if lie never came back to ParI’ament,, he was pleased to have done his part in crushing the Bill. The Prime Alinister had stated that lie once owned a racehorse, but disposed of it when his soils were growing up. Wliafc about other people’s sons? He said the Premier did not care a fig about them. It would ho a short time before efforts would he made to allow racing on Sunday. Mr Edie surprised members at the end of his speech by stating, emphatically, that, if the Bill passed, he would apply for two of the permits that should come to his district.

MINISTER DEFENDS RACING CONFERENCE:

The Hon. A. D. McLeod neatly turned the tables on Mr. Edie by expressing wonder at his want of sincerity. Tho lion, member for Clutlia, said Mr. Mcl.ood was solicitous in regard' to the sons of the Prime Minister and others. But what about the sons of the fathers in the Clutlia district, for which Air. Edie was going to demand the two extra permits if the Bill became law? The debate ended with the Hon. Hon. J. G. Coates, who said that lie was proud to he a member of the Racing Conference. Air. Langstone: “We criticised their policy.” Air. Coates: “Yon said they were gamblers and were sweating jockeys and others.’’

Mr. Langstone: “So they do by their policy.” Ali». Coates: “That is an admission that the Racing Conference maniputhites the public to suit their own ends.”

Afr. J. A. Lee : “So they do.” Mr. Coates: “I ha.ve been blackened for being a member of the Racing Conference.”

Air. Sullivan: “We leave blackening to yon.” Mr. Coates: “Hon. members are knowrt by their associates.” “What do you mean?” asked Mr. Sullivan. Mr. Coates: “What I have said.” Air. Sullivan: “It is plain dirt.” Mr. Langstone: “You have a lot of crooks on tho conference now.” Air. Coates: “Js Sir George Clifford a crook?” Air. Langstone: “Is lie clean?” Air. Coates said the president of the llaciifg Conference was one of the cleanest sports ever seen on) a racecourse.—Special.