THE GAMING BILL

Hokitika Guardian, 18 August 1920, Page 4

THE GAMING BILL

THE COUNCIL’S AMENDMENTS

DISCUSSED BY HOUSE,

(Our Parliamentary Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, Aug. 17

The House dealt ths afternoon with the amendments made by the Council in the Gaming Bill. The Council, ,t will b© remembered, made three important amendments to the Bill. The first allowing money to he telegraphed to Secretaries of Racing 'Clubs on racecourses for investment on the totalisnt.or, the second permitting the publication. of divdends, and the third rcduc ing the number of races per day from 8 to 7 during the winter months. Sir Win. Herrios who had charge of the Bill in the absence of Hon. Anderson, who is still ill, moved that the House should agree to all the Council’s amendments, except the reduction in the number of races per day. He said that already the fields were often too large, and flat races in winter had had to be run in two heats. Sir W. Berries assured tlm House that the. deletion of summary jurisdiction in book makers case did not make any material d iff her cnee, since a. bookmaker could demand trial by jury in any case. Several mombers objected to permitting bets to be telegraphed to a racecourse. They stated there were enough betting facilities already and that the legalisation of betting telegrams would result in an enormous Increase since any person in any part of the Dominion would be able to send money to the course, wherever a race meeting was being held. The publication of dividends would also increase the amount of betting.

Mr Isitt told the House that during the war period, the huge sum of thirty five million pounds had passed through the tota lisa tor. Tile establishment of tote shops all over the country would be the inevitable result of legalisation of betting telegrams. I say that this is a most callous, barefaced attempt on the part of Racing Clubs to encourage betting at- a distance, in absolute indifference to its financial effect and it moral effect on the people, said Mr Isitt.

Mr McCombs proposed as an amendment that the House should disagree with the Council's proposals for the publication of dividends and legalisation of betting telegrams. .Several members supported this amendment. Sir Wm. Herries assured the House that betting telegrams were the natural' corollary to the banning of bookmakers. If the people were not given facilities to bet on racecourses, the bookmaker would continue to flourish.

Mr Wilford—And take his risk with a jury.” .Sir TV. Herries—.Precisely. The business is such a profitable one that he a will go on and take the risk. The prohibition of betting telegrams was enacted at a time when bookmakers were put off racecourses. He hoped the amendment would not be carried, otherwise the whole Bill might be lost. The bookmaker had always survived by protection of people who did not understand racing. Much general discussion followed. Mr Glenn said that to deny working men the right, to bet by telegram was to make racing a class sport for the benefit of people who could attend many rfieetings. Mr Yeitcli said the Bill was the outcome of an alliance between opponents of gambling and people who coveted the profits of gambling.

Mr Smith (Waimarino) said the restrictions put upon the tote had resulted in introducing the bookmaker in every town and hamljet in the Dominion. Mr Bartram said that racing clubs were showing gross ingratitude to the bookmakers who had helped to foster a a love of gambling in New Zealand. The bigger Clubs were trying to get away with the whole of the swag. Finally Mr McCombs’ amendment was carried by 30 votes to 24. The division list was as follows. For the Amendment (30). Bartram Burnett Craigie J. McC. Dickson. Edie Fraser J. R. Hamilton Hanan Hawken Holland Horn, Howard Hudson Isitfc McCombs Malcolm Mitchell Dr Newman E. Newman Ngata Parry Seddon Sidey Statham Stewart Sullivan Sykes Veitch Wright Luke Against the Amendment (24). Atmore Bollard Coates (field Forbes Glenn Guthrie Henare Herries Hockley Lysnar McCallum McLeod Massey Nash Nosworthy Parr Poland Pomare Reid R. H. Rhodes T. W. Rhodes Smith, R. W. Wilford The House disagreed with the throe amendments indicated and agreed with the remaining amendments.