TOTE BILL DEBATE

Hokitika Guardian, 19 March 1928, Page 1

TOTE BILL DEBATE

{Australian & N.Z. Cable Association.) LONDON, Afarcli 17. The whole of Clio private members’ day was kept on the discussion of Afajor R. C. Glyn’s Totalisator Bill, upon which there was a free vote. It passed the second reading by a narrow margin of 149 votes to 134. Alajor Glyn’s chief argument was that betting could not he stopped. The common sense way was to control and tax it. It was estimated that two hundred millions was spent annually on racecourses in Britain. The promoters wanted to divert the flow of the stream of money through the machine, which undoubtedly would give an increased taxation yield. The Labourites in the back benches were the chief opponents all on the ground that to increase betting facilities was a temptation. Sir H. S. Cantely, who was Chairman of the Betting Tax Enquiry, regretted that betting had taken such a strong hold of the community. Bookmakers were even trading with school children. Nevertheless he supported the Bill, which was leading to control, and not to extend the evil. Major Hill: The Jockey Club would ,b e interested to drive bookmakers out of business in order to force more money through the machine. ' Air Churchill admitted that the Government was as much at sixes and sevens on this subject as the Piayei Book, and therefore it has turned to the House’s sound and unerring instinct. If the Bill passed the second reading, the Government would facilitate the later stages, but was nowisecommitted to details and provisions. They must dispel the illusion that the Bill would have any great consequences to the national finances. What gain there was from tlie machine would be set off by the loss through the big reduction of the bookmakers’ business. The opposition was based chiefly on the doctrine that it was an unclean thing. Air Churchill believed that moderate opinion inceasingly favoured taxation and control of gambling. The tote coud be hardly such a horrible tiling as it was painted. It had been used for years in the countries of Europe, India, and the Dominions and Colonies and was recently supported by a wide variety of enlightened press organs. It was a practicable consideration, and was an improvement. The Bill would effect rnceceonrses. There was more belting in England than any other country in the world, and it was done under more discreditable, rowdier and unsatisfactory conditions. In France men. women, and children went to racecourses for a pleasant social outing. Betting there was much smaller than here. The contrast between British and French racecourses was the contrast of 'eighteenth century barbarism and rowdyism and the new civilisation. A motion to commit the Bill to a Committee of the whole House was rejected. Lobbyists say that with the smallness of the Totalisator Bill majority the impression was that the passage of the measure is most doubtful. They are of the opinion that the Government might regard it too indefiniten to justify its championing the Bill throught its remaining stages.