GAMING AMENDMENT BILL

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 1 August 1929, Page 5

GAMING AMENDMENT BILL

PROTEST FROM CHURCHES DEPUTATION TO {PRIME MINISTER (By Telegraph—Press Association) 7 WELLINGTON, This Day. A strong protest against the provisions of the Gaming Amendment Bill which has been introduced into Parlia-1 ment by the member for' Waipawa was made to Sir Joseph Ward to-day ny a. : deputation representing the Wellington Ministers’ Association. The Rev. "Mr Harry, th e principal spokesman, said that as churches they .desired ■'o ex-' press astonishment that a member cf: Cabinet had deemed it wise to speak repeatedly of th e measure as Lk4l/ toj reach the statute book. They fell surer he had not the Premier and Cabinet! behind him. Mr Harry congratulated Sir Joseph Ward upon the stand h e hac, taken in the past, and said 1 they regarded it as a piece of aDsolate end unwarrantable impudence 10r,., racing clubs to ask that the Teieg apn Department should be used to foster a natural vice. After covering a wide field of objections they asked '-Sir Joseph Ward to exercise .. thority and sow that the Racing Conference -did not govern New Zealand. ? Sir Joseph Ward said he was pleased to have the views of the deputation, ami would place them before his code-agues, and the Government would decide upon the attitude it would adopt in connection with the Bill. He recognised that the matter was of far-reaching importance. Cabinet had not vet considered the matter, for it was waiting for developments, and these developments were showing themselves in the House at the present time. Before the Pill was dealt with in the House, .the representations made by various parties would be carefully considered, it was necessary for him to tell the' deputation that the matter was a most ticklish one. lie did not know what the feeling of the House was, but so far as the Government was concerned its attitude would he plainly stated in the House at the proper time.