GAMING AND LOTTERIES BILL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81879, 2 November 1906, Page 2

GAMING AND LOTTERIES BILL.

ITS I'ROVISONS AND PENALTIES, The Gaming and Betting Bill* which was brought down for circulation during the recess, is drastic enough to please the most ardent relOinwr. It begins by strengthening many necessary definitions, so as to make an easier grip on offenders. It goes on to extend the existing provisions to all lotteries and schemes — .ocal and foreign—with consequential amendment to existing Acts and ex■ension of indemnity 10 self-crimina-live witnesses Pakapoo is given a among lotteries, and fan-tan among unlawful games. "l'ublic place" is made to inc.ude all unfenc-•-'d and unoccupied lands in the neighbourhood of public places, as defined oy the principal Act Owners who permit their premises to be used for access to, or exit, or escape from, gaming premises are liable to a fine net exceeding ,£ioo Owners "reasonably suspecting" such can serve the occupier with notice to quit, or

post it up, and ten days later can, without any otlie r authority, take legal proceedings to evict and on the aifidavit of a police insgecterj after due notice to those interested, and the nouse, may be dec.ared any judge of the Supreme Qoyrt to be a gaming house. These two Jhings—the notice to quit and the declaration, may bo withdrawn by a judge only on proof that the owner has never allowed an illegal use of and both of them; as well as their cancelments, must be advertised. Persons

iound in a declared gaming house, or on any land, or in any building u- t'd as access thereto, and unable to account for their presence legally, may be arrested without warrant, and sentenced to imprisonment for not less

than six months. The owner and occupier of a declared gaming house —unless aftej- sgry.ee of notice the one has done his be-t to evict, and jtliu other has mended his ways—are liable to be fined anything between X,SG and ,£SOO. The police have the right of entry at any time into such

houses, and all obstructors may be fined up to ,£SO. Such obstruction is made evidence of gaming carped on. So are bolts or bars fttted on doors of access, avid so are gaming appliances The Bill thus deals with betting in streets by imposing a fine ot anything between £2O and £IOO loi a first offeiico, an d a six months' unpiisonment lor a second on every pcison who fmjuenUj or is in anj' street for the purpose o( receiving any monetary consideration tile-1 gaily offered, and every bookmaker j uho itiakbs a bet 111 any and 11 very one who makes a bet for hinij moreover; moneys, oj£.i may be recovered through the law courts from bookmaker*? by those who have paid them bets, etc. Tina, as to betting <>n Npuits grounds, ;.:i b uing and wage it ng are forbiddm on all sports grounds, except on licensed raeecour-

ses. under a penalty not exceeding iind offenders may be expelled from sports grounds with a penalty not exceeding £SO o r any attempt at return. At the same lime the penalty for betting with infants is increased to a fine not exceeding X'oo, or to imprisonment not exceeding- six months, or to both . Lastly, jnoneys stolen and used for betting are recoverable. There me left for the sol'<>f the gambling foot only the lie . racecourses. It is enacted »' . " (horse or ponv) can '■ lacln ß' licensed bv " r f l 011 PP ur " 'l'hc fee ' '• *" e onia ' secretary, f,.. A'So within 40 miles of the 'ir Centres, and ,£2O elsewhere, and 11, couife can be less than six furlongs. The limit of race days with in 40 miles is 24 for horse courses, and 12 for pony courses, for the rest 12 and 6, prov : ded that on no course hall the number under this Act be ncressed above the total of the twelve months preceding la-t July. Beting telegrams may not be delivered 011 any course. Totalizators can only be used on raeeourscs. The stamp duty on these is increased to 2} per cent.;