NOT A GAMBLER

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 753, 28 August 1929, Page 7

NOT A GAMBLER

MR. HOLLAND CLAIMS RIGHT TO CRITICISE DIVIDENDS AND NEWS (The SUN’S Parliamentary Reporter) PARLIAMENT BLDGS.,Tuesday. A rather unusual view of the discussion on gambling was taken in the House of Representatives this afternoon by Mr. H. E. Holland, Leader of the Labour Party. “The only man who is entitled to make any protest against any forms of gambling is the man who does not gamble at all,” he said, and claimed that he was in the unique position of being the only member in the House who did not gamble. “Well,” he added, “I have listened to members speaking, and I knew they put their money on the tote and lose it. That's all right. I am not objecting to their doing that, but I do object to gambling, because it is uneconomic. Gambling in connection with racehorses is not, however, in my judgment, the worst form of gambling. Stock Exchange gambling is a far worse form.” Mr. Holland could not understand the position over the prohibition of the publication of dividends by newspapers. Thousands present at the race meetings saw the dividends rung up, and in a weeks’ time they were published in Australian papers, which were immune from the penalty for doing it, while newspapers here could not publish them. Yet the same Australian papers were on sale in practically every bookstall. If it were wrong to publish dividends it was wrong to have dividends. Either betting was wrong or it was right. If it were wrong it was wrong for members of the House to take part in it. If they did take part in it, then it seemed to be somewhat inconsistent to talk about restricting gambling facilities for other people. Mr. Holland was proceeding to discuss the telegraphic aspect when his talking time came to an end.