NEW GAMING BILL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10115, 10 October 1910, Page 3

NEW GAMING BILL.

BOOKMAKERS ABOLISHED. TOTALISATOR PERMITS LARGELY REDUCEu. BETTING CONFINED TO PERSONS OVER 21 YEARS UP AGE

The Gaming Act Amendment Bill introduced by Governor's message on Friday night proposes some important changes in the existing law. It is provided that every person who frequents, loiters, or is in any street for the purpose of betting is guilty of an offence, and is liable to a fine of not less than £2O, and not more than £IOO for the first offence and to imprisonment for a period not exceeding three months for a second or any subsequent offence.

Section 34 of the existing law providing for the licensing of book! makers is repeal ed. By Clause 4 a duty is cast upon racing clubs authorised to use the totalisator to exercise all reasonable means of preventing bookmakers from plying their calling on racecourses, and the Minister is empowered to revoke the license of any club that has wilfully or negligently failed to comply with the provisions of the section, and shall refuse to issue any further license in respect of such club for one year after the date of revocation.

The number of licenses to use the totalisator after July 31st, 1911, is restricted to tweny-two (22) in the case of racing clubs and to one hundred (100) in the case of all otber racing clubs. Every license is to be issued in respect of a single race meeting and is to specify the day or days on which the totalisator is to be used.

The aggregate number of days on which the totalisator is to be authorised to be used in any year after July 31st next is limited to:' (a) Fifty days in the case of all trotting clubs, and (b) to one hundred and ninety days in the case of all racing clubs.

The Governor-in-Council is empowered to make regulations as,to the granting of licenses, and the conditions on which such licenses may be issued.

There is an additional provision in the Bill empowering the Governor-in-j Council to appoint a commission of five persons to determine the number of licenses to be issued during the year commencing August Ist, 1911. All such licenses are to be granted by the Minister of Internal Affairs, in accordance with the report of the commission. At the same time, the Minister is given power to revoke any license granted, or.to grant or .to refuse in his.absolute discretion any license in

any subsequent year.

Investments on the totalisator are strictly limited to][cash (money or bank notes) actually paid at the time of investment, and the Bill makes it illegal for any persons under 21 years of age to invest on the totalisator, or make a bet with any person.

Any servant of a racing club taking an investment on the totalisator from a person under 21 years of age is made liable to a fine not exceeding £IOO, and any person under 21 years making such an investment is liable to be fined in a sum not exceeding £SO. A person falsely representing himself to be over the age of 21 years to a racing club official is liable to a fine of £lO in respect of the.clause of the Bill just referred to. . Finally, the Governor-in-Council is empowered to declare that the provisions of the principal Act, and of all other Acts prohibiting lotteries, shall not apply to the Art Union of London, established by Koyal charter, or to any other institution or association established with like objects outside New Zealand.