The Daily News. MONDAY, DECEMBER 9. THE GAMING LAW.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 61, 9 December 1907, Page 2

The Daily News. MONDAY, DECEMBER 9. THE GAMING LAW.

\\ hen in Auckland liie other day, the Premier was interviewed liy a dopulatiuii ol bookmakers m regard to the | attitude ol certain racing duos towards bookmakers under tile (laming Act. , in the course of iiio rep.lv, Sir Joseph Ward said- the Act wu->' intended l>y Parliament to be drastic, for the House took into consideration the fact that there was a great consensus of opinion ...■ii..n-.;i 1..e .„iu:iiiiiiii;. against gamiilinr i°i ii w.is going on. and against totaUalor udiU ami "street belting. That agitation was not new. It had been moving for some four or live yens, and the (luvernnieut, in going into the uttestion of endeavouring to suppress street betting—although he did not suppose anv (.oveinniciit could absolutely control it—had thought the drastic clauses of the Act would to a considerable exlent help to put a stop to some of the wotvt forms of the evil. That was the main object of the measure. Pacing clubs were licenced, and permits were i-Micd to each club, with the object of limiting the number of days <m which races could be held. The Covernmcnl looked at the position in the light that where lacing was carried on, and betling, whether by the tolalisator or .by Cue bookmaker,' was to be indulged in, that betting should be confined strictly to the racecourse, and the (.iovornincui I in its administration of its duty did not recognise cither friends or opponents of the tolalisator.

We are not satisfied that the operation of the new Act makes for an improvement in the direction desired by the trainers and supporters of the Hill. According to Sir Joseph Ward, the main object of the legislators was to confine betting to its proper place, namely, the racecourse. But they have failed, and

signally failed, in their purpose. For instance, under the new law, the Telegraph Department will not deliver teleI grams addressed to anyone on a racecourse. Hut there is nothing to prevent the department delivering racing telegrams addressed to the nearest telegraph office, nor is there anything to prevent the racing folk from wiring away the results and any other particulars of a race. As a matter of fact, during the past week or two, the wires have "been employed by bettors just as much as ever they were. Messengers have conveyed telegrams and money from the nearest telegraph ofliec to the course, and outside backers have not lieeji inconvenienced one iota. These gentry are of course acting within their legal rights, lint it is plain enough it was not the intention of our legislators that the telegraph should be used in this manner. It would seem that Parliament was in too big a hurry to pass the Bill, and did not give it the consideration it warranted.

Then, again, the new law makes it unlawful for a newspaper to publish particular's of a dividend of a race, yet it is not unlawful for a bookie to have telegraphed to him after the race is run the very same particulars, which he may use for his own and his clients' purposes. If it is necessary to place the embargo on newspapers, it surely is necessary that the sending of wires by private people giving information of the dividends should lie prohibited. So far as we can see. the only improvement effected Irv the passing of the Hill is in connection with the keeping of gaming houses. The occupiers of these places appear to have been frightened by the drastic nature of the provisions of the new Act. and have Ix-cn obliged to turn their attention to a legitimate line of business, or have had to vacate their premises. It may also lie said that the Act will minimise if it does not altogether prevent betting on sports grounds. To accomplish the purpose of Parliament, however, amendments to the Act will need to be made. As things stand the new law stands condemned.