THE FIT AND THE UNFIT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9641, 5 November 1909, Page 3

THE FIT AND THE UNFIT.

Some otssrvations on the Gaming ! Act are made by Mr Dinnie, Com- i missiner of Folicp, in his annual re- j port. He says:—"The provisions of : the Gaming Act as regards betting house.", street betting, restnetions on betting tel?grams, betti g aivertisement3 and use of totalisator are eminently satisfactory, having j regard to the licensing of hookmakers and the indiscriminate action of racing authorities in issuing betting licenses to all applicants in a , position to pay the necessary fee, j iirespective altogether of character or fitness to hold a license, the result - has been quite contrary to that in- . tended. Bookmakers and their followers nave seriously increased the majority of them being totally unfit, ; both pecuniarily and otherwise, to hold licenses. If bookmakers are to be licensed to bet at race meetings . (s provision which, from a long and varied expartenje of ra in 4, I caa'd not support), the law should \ provide that none but those holding ' a certificate of fitness from a Magistrate (on the report of the police) or ; chief of police of the district cot.cern- ' ed, should be licensed,- nor should | anvone be permitted to act as a book- 1 maker at any race meeting whatso-j ever unless he holds such certificate." I