RACING FIXTURES.

NZ Truth, Issue 72, 3 November 1906, Page 2

RACING FIXTURES.

November 3, 5, 7, 19— Canterbury J.C. Metropolitan. November 3, 9, and 10— Auckland R.C. Spring. •

THE GAMING AND BETTING ACT.

The above Bill is said to have caused a good deal of surprise m the House when it made its appearance ; but it has not been taken too seriously m the sportinp world, and m many quarters the opinion has been expressed that it was never meant to outlive a second reading.

The previous two Bills relating to racine matters, which cropped up promiscuously early m the Session, were given a most unfavorable reception ana quickly quashed. Just when people "had commenced to think that the a.nti-gam'blrng "moral soasm" had fbr a -time spent itself, this third Bill bobs up m a miraculous manner; and after carefully read--ing the New South Wales and Victorian Bills the conclusion is coxne to that the Premier has based this Bill on parallel lines.

Truly the sporting life is beset with perpetual storm. The man who lays the odds has to contend with the shrewd punters, who are every day increasing m number, the « gentlemen who work readier, the totalisator, the Racing Clujra, and the antigambling wowsers. On the other hand Racing Clubs have to do with the bookmakers, the wowsers, the Government, and; m addition to this, they have their own, finances to control- It is a .wonder that men who are m the game, for the real Jove, of the sport do not grow tired of the continuous, conflict and turn thpir Intentions to croquet, golf, etc. F.ro-v bably, j however, jt is because they object to knuckle under to the idiotiq individual who belches out bushels of anti-gam Win a: guff after every meal.

Wheji the Totalisator AlboHtion Bill and the Totalisator Permits Limitation Bill were so summarily dealt with by Parliament it seemed fair to assume 'that members considered the gambling evil of secondary importance for the present year ; but the G-ovemment is evidently not of the same mind and the result is that Sir Joseph Ward comes to light With a new Bill— a Bill on gamirjr. and betting.' The measure is characteristic of Sir Joseph ; it is fat and full of fees. There is moreover a dash of telegrams and stamps about it; In all there are thirty two clauses m the Bill, but clauses 21 to 32 am those which apply particularly to the racing world, while clauses 28 to S2 are of very great interest to the Clubs, and more especially the Wellington Club, which will be very hard; ly dealt with if ever the Bill becomes law.

The first part of the measure deals mainly with gaming, houses, their owners and lessees, and persons frequenting such houses. Clauses 4 and 5 w/ill serve to eradicate the Chinese games of fan-iJaij i aiid pakra,rpu, , but the Chows themselves %ill npH; be eradicated, whion is tax more desirable; Clause. 1 ? i 2 to 15 will necessitate bookmakers carrying, volumes of the Gazette and the daily papers m their pockets if they are suspected of keeping an office, while if clause 16 becomes law any innocent individual might easily, get six months for being found on land, adjacent to a fining * house without being able to show good cause for his presence there. If this Bill becomes law it will be strongly advisable for visitors from the country to stick to the tram lines while m the oities ; even if they do bruise their poor, dear feet. •

Street betting and wagering on unlicensed grounds are strictly prohibited and heaw penalties are incurred for such offences. For a.second offence of street betting imprisonment may be incurred, and a similar sentence awaits any one convicted of betting with an infant. The cbncluding paragraphs restrict race meetings to licensed courses, . and a definite number of days. This portion of the Act contains the most busi-ness-like ideas, but they are clumsily adjusted. Among; other things the minimum circumference of the racing track for pony races or horse races is fixed at six furlongs. Such a law will be -generally regarded with favor but m this colony the tendency of Racing 1 Clubs m recent years has been to construct courses with a circumference of one mile" or over. There is a distinct savour of the New South- Wales Bill about the latter paragraph.

It is further provided that no Club can hold moire days of racing than those obtaining m the year ended JuK 1906, the minimum number m a large centre to be twenty-four days. In this the Wellington Club would be harshly treated indeed- as compared 1 with the other centres. The clause which prohibits telegrams being delivered to the totalisator may be best summed up as a benefit for the bookmakers.

"No totalisator shall be used anywhere except on a racecourse" says the Bill, and if we understand tine full purport of these wprds it means that ttie clerks of a certain Government department will m future have to do away with their "Totalisator Pool" on the New Zealand Cup. Lastly the State's commission is to be 'increased. No very great i objection can *« found to this, but as the State wouN MeiH considerably by the license m'S.oey called up by the Act the extra. 1 ?er cent, commission could be well spent i»y Racins Clubs m a manner suggested by a Wellington sport-in providing long races to further a better breed of stayers. We are glad to find someone agreeing with the opinions expressed m these columns some weeks ago, and it win be a eood thing for the colony when sporting men recognise that a good trend of staying power is an admirable attribute to the colony's horses. Although three Bills dealing with snort have been on the Parliamentary Profu-ammc this year they have not jreeivpd much attention, nut they merited far less. The centlemen who introduced these rowwures- know as

much about horse-racing as a racehorse does about legislation, but because a few Bible-banging humbugs are continually pushing deputations before tfte Government and holding meetings m denunciation of gambling, Messrs EU and Tanner and the Pre.mief himself have been fooled into framing Bills. There is a widespread opinion that the wowsers who lead the crusade against ' gambling have really nothing against the practices they denounce as damnable ; " but merely sought them out as good subjects to spruik on. They love to hear themselves talking, these bounders, and the sooner the Premier drops to their little game the better it will be for the people ho represents. As said .before, the Bill is treated as a joke m many quarters, but when it has appended to it a tale of money for charities there is always a chance of it working on the soft side of members and becoming a stern reality. It is to be sincerely trusted that when the Bill again comes up it will be punched and pummelled m a inahner that will leave no doubt as to. the sincerity of members when . they trod on the measures that threatened the totalisator's doom. Are you listenine; Messrs Alison, Bollard, Oolvin. Carroll, Davey, Fraser. Herries, Major, Wilford, Wood and Co ?