BETTING ON RACECOURSES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 14244, 15 December 1909, Page 8

BETTING ON RACECOURSES.

AUCKLAND PRESBYTERY'S VIEWS. The Auckland Presbytery last evening, on the motion of the Re/. A. Miller, seconded by Mr. "C. Haines, passed the following resolution: " The Presbytery has learned with much satisfaction that it is the intention of the Premier .to introduce a Bill into the New Zealand Parliament to amend the Gaming Act, and it hails with satisfaction his reported statement that so far as the bookmakers are concerned they and the totalisators go hand in hand. Interpreting this to mean that it is intended by the proposed measure to remove the State's sanction from these most mischievous forms of ' gambling, which have proved ruinous pecuniarily, socially, and morally to so many in this Dominion, the Presbytery expresses its most earnest, desire that tho Bill will pas? into law, and that the moral sense of the community will lead to a unanimous approval of the action of the Premier, and a determination to abolish the disastrous sources of ruin to many lovers of the turf and frequenters of the racecourse."

The St. Matthew's branch of the Church of England Men's Society has passed a resolution that in view of the prevalence and increase of gambling in New Zealand the Government be approached to abolish the totalisator and the bookmaking fraternity. »