NEW GAMING ACT

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1066, 2 September 1930, Page 10

NEW GAMING ACT

PROTEST BY UNITED CHURCHES DEPUTATION TO MR, RANSOM THE HUN'S Parliamentary Reporter PARLIAMENT BLDGS., Today. Spirited opposition to the passing of the Gaming Amendment Bill and to the issue of art union permits was made to the Acting-Prime Minister, the Hon. E. A. Ransom, this morning by a largo deputation from the United Committee of Churches. Three speakers outlined the deputation's views at length and Mr. Ransom said in reply that Mr. Forbes had promised that the Gaming Bill would be discussed by the House and that he would honour that promise. He agreed to place the question of art union permits before Cabinet at an eariy date. The deputation was introduced by Mr. W. Nash (Labour —Hutt), who said that it was representative of Wellington business men, the churches and the women and youth of the city. The purpose of the deputation was to try and persuade the Government to reduce the facilities for gambling in the Dominion by dropping the Gaming Bill if possible and by a restriction of the issue of permits for art unions. Mr. G. A. Troup, Mayor of Wellington, detailed the history of art unions and said that art unions in New Zealand had gained a much wider meaning than had ever been intended. Mi. Coates had agreed that art unions were not in the best interests of the country and had discontinued them, but they had been revived under the United Government's administration. The deputation objected to them because they were engendering a spirit of among the young. “We are raising a race of gamblers ” he said. Dr. James Gibb: Hear, hear! Tl ' ey furth . er objected to art unions, Mr. Troup said, because they destroyed the moral of the community in regard to work. The man who looked to set himself up by chance was not the sort of citizen needed in the best interests of New Zealand. Miss McLean, president of the Women’s Social League, spoke in the interests of women and said that It was a tragic fact that pitfalls were being dug for unwary youth by those who should be their guardians, the legislators. She quoted from protests made all over New Zealand and said that the sturdiness of the British character was being sapped. She wished to object to two features of the Gaming Amendment Bill, the publication of totahsator dividends and the transmitting of bets by telegraph. If these measures became law they would clearly increase betting and lead to domestic discord and other troubles consequent on gambling. Mr. L. Greenburgh, secretary to the Wellington Y.M.C.A., dealt particularly with the Gaming Bill and spoke of the human wreckage due to gambling. The Government would have to remember that it was not only concerned with the Dominion’s, finances, but with the moral .welfare of the people. He submitted that the Government was not justified at any time in increasing the facilities for betting. In replying, Mr. Ransom said that he did not propose to traverse the arguments placed before him As far as the Gaming Bill was concerned, it was a private Bill, and as such had been promised consideration. Before leaving New Zealand, Mr. Forbes had promised the sponsor of the Bill that it would be discussed in the House, and he intended to honour that promise. The matter rested with the members of the House, and not with the Government, the Bill not being supported by any particular party. He promised to bring the question of art union permits before Cabinet at an early date, and would have it considered from time to time. The Minister of Internal Affairs had requests for permits, and some of these requests were backed by very good arguments. As far as the trading transactions of art unions were concerned, he believed that there had been reason for complaints in the past, but he assured them that there was no reason for complaint at the present time. Mr. Troup: Will you compel them to publish an account of their trading in the papers? Dr. Gibb: Stop them altogether, sir! Mr. Nash thanked Mr. Ransom for receiving the deputation.