THE GAMING BILL

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 20 November 1907, Page 2

THE GAMING BILL

Mr limits resumed the debate in the lluuso on AlunUay on the question, ''Thai the report of the Select Committee on the Naming and Lottcried Act Amendment, -Bill do lie upon the table." lie regretted that, owing to being engaged as chaimnui of the Native. Affairs Committee, lie had been unable to attend the meeting of the Select Committee, as he had. been desirous of moving I several important amendments, lie was ■ 1 lit; only member of the Racing Conference in tile House, and thought he should have been given an opportunity of attending tile committee meeting. He described the clause making it an offence. to publish dividends in newspapers as ridiculous. He pointed out that there was nothing to prevent newspapers from publishing bookmakers' odds j or starting juices. Ho also complained that the ternt '"'bookmaker" was not clearly doliuevi. as it was not stated whether a clerk was included in the definition, although he might be shouting odds ,as much as bookmaker , himself.

The Premier said be was agreeable to letling the Bill go back to the committee, and thus allowing Mr Herrios to move his mnendments. A. T;. T). Frneer asked who wns t:h.* author of the Bill. It was headed with the name of Sir J. G. Ward, but [be (Mr Fraser) thongfit the Premier had never seen the Bill until it was printed. Messrs Mc"N T nb and Fowlds had never been 011 a racecourse, and it was known that Mr Mcfrowan went oiivl once a y<>ar to a racecourse somewhere in tli'['lia.mes district. The Premier himself did not habitually patronise race meetings, and this brought fhem down to the 'Minister for Labor and the 1 Na-tirc Minister. Those, he was con- ; vineed. had never made a bet with a /bookmaker in their lives. Had there been a deputation of members to the. Premier to bring in this Bill? No, but they had seen the bla-ck-coated gentlemen about the lobbies, and it was these men who hnd gone on bended knee to the Premier to bring iri the Bill. He hoped he was correct in stating that , not a Minister who sat on the Treasuvv (benches hnrl soon the Bill until it was . printed. He hoped the Bill would 1 never como 'icforc the House, but, if it •lid, he would lake the opportunity of showing bow antagonistic it was to /the liberty of* the people.

MY Aitkcn said the deputation which linid waited upon tile Premier had como 111 o 1'"ow1cc(ro of certain facts which showed that an evil had arisen and was affect iny the homes of the people and (lie renins people in a manner very detrimental to their interests. The' l!i]| would not bring about a settlement of the question, and no proper settlement could be arrive,! at until the totalisatnr and bookmaker were abolished nHogelher. 'Hie report was ordered to lie on the i table.