TOTALISATOR PERMITS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 1036, 17 August 1911, Page 5

TOTALISATOR PERMITS.

MR JENNINGS BILL. DISCUSSED IN THE HOUSE. By Telegraph—Press .CsaociotionWELLINGTON, Last Night. In the House of Representatives this evening, Mr W. T. Jennngs moved the .second reading of the Gaming Amendment Bill. He stated that, as far -as country clubs were concerned with the Racing Commission's report, the rejection of the permits had given the greatest dissatisfaction. The allocation of permits ,to his mind, had not been done in a fair way. The Bill appealed for the justice and mercy of the House to the clubs (mentioned in the schedule, some of .which had .been in existence for over twenty years:. The Bill provided that the Minister of Internal Affairs may grant licenses to use the totalisator at horse race meetings held under the control or management of the clubs named- in the schedule- for the year commencing August Ist, 1911, and for each subsequent year, provided that this section shall be limited to such a number as. will provide one license for one race meeting in each year of the Clubs named in the schedule. He maintained that the Gaming Act had had an opposite effect to that desired by the Government. The Racing; Commission had reduced /racing iby 43 days, and trotting by 11 days. His Bill only asked for an increase of 14 days. Country iClu.bs had. suffered; severely. The Metropolitan Clulbs were reduced by four days, and country clubs by, 39, and 17 of them had been wiped out altogether. Why could the Racing Clubs not ha<ve provision made for them just as the liceai&ng laws provided for four years' grace, so that matters anight readjust themselves ? Last . year's Gaming Act had resulted in increased gambling, and sent it in to the towns. This' was evidenced by the extraordinary increases in. the totalisator receipts. He was of opinion, that the issuing of permits should not bo left in the lmnds of the Racing Conference. They should be in charge of the Minister, who could retain some- ten or a dozen, for the use of -districts where the population increased, so that on reasonable grounds being shown he could grant a permit. 'Mr Forbes regretted the necessity for. the introduction of such a measure. It showed what could happen when powers were delegated to Boards. The Racing Commission had not carried out the wish of Parliament. They had reduced the days of country clubs where the (betting was not heavy. The purpose of the Gamifig Act was to reduce gambling. Instead of doing that, it had reduced the amount of sport. The Bill now proposed was to meet some of the liardships of the recommendations of the Commission. GVIr Field held that there was a necessity for reduction in. the days of racing, but not of such a sweeping nature as contained in; the Commission's report. It had .been • understood that clubs holding only one meeting a year would be preserved; but that had not .been done. Mr Wright said he was forcied to the opinion /that the whole system of horse-racjng revolved itself rourid betting. He thought an extension of time should be allowed those clubs wiped out by the Commission I to enable them to wind up their affairs without loss. 'He considered | the Commissioners were justified in any action they had taken. With regard to the Westport Club, the Commissioners went out 'to the course at night with lamps, . and them recommended the wiping out of a .club which had been racing over forty years, and which had never had a complaint against, it. The Commission did not carry out its dutieß (fairly, Mr McDonald considered a very ■great injustice had been done the country clubs throughout the Dominion. Mr Taylor said he was itever 'against horse racing, Ibut the present ddbat© had shown, the whole l system of racing, as now carried on, was centred around the gambling machine. He .was thoroughly disappointed .with the Commission's report. The ■whole idea of it had ibeen to centralize and add wealth' to metropolitan clubs. Mr Pearce supported the Bill, and Mr Poole opposed it, • (Left sitting.)