THE GAMING BILL.
l" ITER HOUSE AMENDMENTS AGREED TO. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Lnst Night. The House of Representatives met at 2.:50 p.m. The report of the managers appointed to confer with the Legislative Councillors regarding the amendments made by the Council in the Gaming Bill was received. The managers recommended that the amendments made by the Council be agreed to, subject to the following further amendments: —Clause 2 (providing penalties for street-betting) is amended verbally by substituting the word "or" for "in" in the first line of sub-section 3, and by inserting after ••racecourse" the following words.— "Whether a race meeting is being held or not." Clause 4, which provides for racing clubs preventing bookmakers plying their calling on racecourses, is amended by striking out the word '"person," and substituting '"bookmaker." Sub-section 2 of clause 5, giving preference to clubs using the totalisator only once yearly in the granting of licenses, struck out by the Council, is re-inserted, with the amendment that in place of "Preference shall be given to," the following words are inserted:— shall be given to the claims thereof." Sir Joseph Ward moved that the report be adopted. Mr. T. E. Taylor moved as an amendment that the House agree with the amendment, with the exception of the alteration made in sub-section 2 of clause 6 (providing that not more than eight races shall be run in any one day at any race meeting). As the Bill left the House, the number of races in the subclause was seven. In the opinion of experienced men, the bookmaker was not abolished by the provisions of the Bill. There was no power to prevent him betting at Tattersall's Club, or in premises rented by himself; The profession of bookmaker was not outlawed. He was not so much concerned about the bookmaker evil as about the totalisator, which had quadrupled the betting community. Mr. Massey said it was not a question of seven or eight races, but whether the House should agree with the amendments made by the Council in the Gaming Bill. Unless the Upper House agreed to the decision of the House the Bill would be lost. He desired to see it pass, if only because it repealed the existing law providing for the registration of bookmakers. Hon. J. A. Millar said the Bill embodied a principle which was not found in any law in other parts of the world. It made betting illegal except on the totalisator. More money changed hands at card-playing in New Zealand than went through the totalisator. The Bill had neither principle nor logic in it. Betting was either right or wrong, and if it were wrong it ought not to be permitted in any form. He had always supported the totalisator, but was now inclined to change his ground. He would like to see the Bill held over and the opinion of the country taken upon it, when the bookmaker and the totalisator would both .go. Sir Joseph Ward said the Hon. Millar's views were not those of the Government, but his own. If the amendment were carried, and the Council disagreed with it, the Bill would be lost. That would mean that the House allied itself with those desiring to kill the Bill. He desired to make it perfectly clear that the Government desired the Bill to go upon the Statute Book. Mr. Poland entered his protest against the amendments made by the Council in the Bill. A number of others spoke on the question. On a division, the amendment was negatived by 52 to 18. Mr. Poland moved as a further amendment that the report be adopted, with the exception of the amendment made to sub-clause 2 of clause 5, which originally gave preference to clubs using the totaiisator once a year in granting licenses. In supporting the amendment, Mr. Poland said it was moved in the interests of country clubs. Mr. Clark supported the amendment. He quoted figures showing that country clubs had not received fair treatment from the Racing Conference in the matter of permits. Messrs Newman, Fraser, Russell and Forbes opposed, and Messrs Jennings, Te Rangihiroa, Fisher and Wright supported the amendment. Sir Joseph Ward said the supporters of the amendment appeared to overlook the provisions of the Bill. Licenses were granted by commissioners subject to the approval of the Minister of Internal Affairs for one year only. If licenses were granted without due' regard to the interests of country clubs, the Minister had the right to withhold or revoke licenses. The amendment was defeated by 49 to 20. The motion was then put and carried.
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Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 195, 26 November 1910, Page 5
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770THE GAMING BILL. Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 195, 26 November 1910, Page 5
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