CONTROL OF GAMBLING

Hokitika Guardian, 5 July 1930, Page 2

CONTROL OF GAMBLING

THE STATE’S INCONSISTENCY. The .objection of The Council of Christian Congregations to the renewal of the lottery system tends merely to draw attention to the fact that one-half of gambling is legalised per medium of the totalisator says a correspondent in the Auckland “Star, 1 ” while the other half is treated as being illegal except for special perm its to launch art unions, which are again becoming more numerous. If the State issues such permits in the belief that art unions are beneficial, whfy', then, the apprehension of legalising State lotteries and other phases of gambling? Surely gambling should be properly conducted and effectively controlled, and I, for one, still hope for reform in this direction.

The advocacy 0 f legfiSising otate lotteries and booknuaking to derive revenue per medium of a channel that is at present flowing to waste will, of course, be resented by strong opposition on the part of a certain section of the community. I venture to suggest that a referendum would support the opportunity to swell our Exchequer with funds that are going elsewhere and that we can ill afford to lose.

In this Dominion there appears to lie a good deal of despotism controlling the sport of horse racing, which at present i s practically unproducing from an economic point of view. If horse racing is viewed from the angle of being a sport, why tlve opposition from those in control to refuse to broadcast on the air to the inmates of hospitals and others who, through force of circumstances, are unable to attend ?

If horse racing is purely and simply a business, then lot the Dominion as a whole benefit from the patronage bestowed upon, it by the public, wlio to-day appear to 'be. submerged with no voice whatever; and while on this subject may I. state that it does seem unfair that fractions oil the totalisator are loot to the investor, and as one fond of the sport of horse racing I understand that what on the surface appears a small item in reality amounts to approximately £40,000 per annum.

In other countries this money is not retained by the clubs, but is handed to charity; therefore in this respect the totalisator is not operated in the general interests of the people as a whole but the racing clubs derive an u share of gross investments.