GAMING AND LOTTERIES BILL.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 3, Issue 826, 22 July 1881, Page 3

GAMING AND LOTTERIES BILL.

[From thVN.Z. Times.] Mr Dick, in moving the second reading of this Bill, said it wbb a measure that was very muclr needed, Only yesterday he received a telegram from the Mayor of Dunedin, recommending the • passing of the Bill., There were practices existing in' connection with gambling 'which required supervision and the. control of > Parliament. He, however, for himself, did not know-much about the matter, so he could only spoak from what he saw, In Dunedin, for instance, he had frequently noticed'a number of men standing outside hotel doors, like, poachers watching, for prey. He understood tliey were called bookmakers. He' thought probably the City of Dunedin was particularly moral in this respect. (Oh l'oil I)' The Bill submitted was a complication of clauses) from Acts inforce at home and jn other places. In regard fo the totalisator, it was proposed'itd' sanction ■ the use'of it under certain circumstances, He'thought New Zealand far behind other countries in its legislation ■ regarding' the '■ prohibition of gambling. SirW. Fox hoped the House would not sanction the U6e of the totalisator, Mr Horstkouse did not agree witli the Bill at all, and looked upon it as-an insult to intelligent people. If the people wished to gamble, any bill passed against it would never stop them. The only way to leased gambling, was to educate the youth of the colony against itMr Andrews said he would oppose.the Bill in its' present form, as he looked upon it as only being a half measure.' He thought 'the' totalisator' should. bo put down." ' ~: ' Mr Oliver said when.it was considered what rapid strides gambling was making in the colony, he hoped every member of the House would support the BilL Mr peeves said he would support the Bill, and hoped it would pass. ~ Mr Wakefield said he didnot think the Bill, would attain the end for Which it was framed, He would aßk hon. members if they for one moment thought that if the Bill was passed gambling'would be stopped in New Zealand, He maintained there would be plenty of it, but the difference •would be illegal gambling instead of legal. He considered that legislation of the present day had a tendency to interfere with the. freedom ,of the public, If things went on as at present, a little boy would, not be able to play an innocent game;of marbles or whip,a top without' first obtaining the sanction of the Colonial Secretary; He referred to the Diorama of the American War, of which the .proprietor—ijvho no doubt was a very 'respectable man—was heavily fined for giving away a number of prizes to his audience. He did not know when Buch a Btate }f things was going to end, and considered it was calculated to make tho people very miserable,- In referring to the totalisator, he said he didnot know the derivation of the term, but believed teetotaller was derived from the same ' root, iHe did not agree with the lion. ■ member for Bangitikei in regard to the M totalisator, but, on the contraiy, thought the instrument had done a great deal of good in controlling the vices attendant on race meetings. The introduction of of it had helped.to put down bookmakers —a set of men who were at all times most objectionable, land' whom he considered' should he put down by law. In looking J over the Bill he saw no provision in this direction. He would not oppose the Bill, but at'the'same time it' had very little sympathy'from him." The Bill then passed through its Becond reading, and was committed for Tuesday next. ■"• :l ' ' '' '