GAMING BILL.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume I, Issue 203, 1 October 1914, Page 11

GAMING BILL.

PASSED BY THE COUNCIL. FIVE "STALWARTS.". [From our own Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, September 30. The Hon. C. A. C. Hardy (Canterbury) moved the second reading of the Gaming Amendment Bill in the Legislative Council this afternoon. He thought it would have the effect of minimising the bookmaker evil. ' The Hon. C. H. Mills (Wellington) had much pleasure in supporting the measure, which' would enable more pleasurable race meetings to take place in the country. Ths Hon. J. G. W. Aitken (Wellington) regretted that the Bill had been passed by the other Chamber, as he considered the existing Acts on the Statute Book on the subject were sufficient. It would have been better simply to reduce the number of metropolitan meetings. The Hon. S. T. George (Auckland) thought the best part of the Bill was the consideration it gave to Hunt Clubs. In Committee he would propose the sanctioning of the double betting machine as a means of completely wiping out the bookmaker. The Hon. J. Duthie (Wellington) objected to the Bill, as it meant an extension of gambling, which was sapping the whole moral tone of the community. The Hon. H. D. Bell explained that the object of the Bill was simply to allow a few country racing clubs the same privilege of running. a totalisator that was enjoyed by metropolitan clubs. Experience showed that the country clubs could not exist "without the totalisator, and owing to the withdrawal of licenses there were a number of unused courses and grandstands throughout the country. The Bill had been much misunderstood. It was merely intended to diminish the undue monopoly which the larger centres now had. The metropolitan meetings could, not be reduced without interfering with the efficiency of the clubs. The Hon. R. Moore (Canterbury) said the country racing clubs had been most unfairly treated, and Mr Hunter's Bill would give them tardy justice. An excellent feature of it was that it would allow the totalisator to be used, at Hunt, Club, meetings, which certainly were of use in improving the breed of horses. The Hon. J. T. Paul (Otago) did not regard the measure with any enthusiasm, but realised that it was the only method by which an injustice could be removed. He recognised that it must increase gambling, and it was absurd to suppose that double totalisators were going to interfere w r ith the operations of bookmakers, who were always at work. On a division the-second reading was carried by 18 votes to 5, the members voting against it being Messrs Aitken, Duthie, Earnshaw, MacGregor, and HallJones. '"