LOTTERY LAWS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 267, 10 November 1934, Page 7

LOTTERY LAWS.

ANOMALIES IN N.Z. SENDING MONEY OVERSEAS. "SWEEPS" ON RACECOURSES. Anomalies in New Zealand's gambling and anti-gambling laws have often been the cause of amused comment, which las been revived by the prosecution in Napier of a man who admitted having sent for a ticket in "Tatt's." No exception is taken, or offence committed, if a ticket is purchased in an y of the numerous authorised "art Unions" conducted in the Dominion, but I' is an offence against the law even to send for a ticket in "Tatt's," the tolden Casket," or any of the State lotteries in Australia, or, further afield, a ticket i n the Irish Sweepstake. , The law, it is notorious, does not prevent people from participating in overseas lotteries. Many thousands of Pounds are sent out of New Zealand to Australia for tickets in "consultations," and frequently the fact of New Zealande« having drawn prizes is reported and given prominence. On the day following M e Napier prosecution, when the man was fined £1 and 10/ costs, there was Published the fact that a New Zealand syndicate had drawn a prize of £12,000. action is seldom taken against the winner of an overseas lottery. He is not u&ble to income tax on the prize money* °ut, of course, the income from it is taxable. It can be argued that although ™uch money is sent from New Zealand w> overseas lotteries, considerable sums return in the form of prize money. K has been said that Tattersall's was wst started many years ago in Christwnirch, but legislation made the lottery " le ?al and a move was made to Aueraha. There again legislation making «T (■ » neSs ille " al was introduced, suid iatts , packed up and went to Tasmania. In Tasmania the business has °een conducted without interruption ever '«iou, and the Tasmanian Government received a very large sum in t*xa-

Racing Clubs' Rules. In New Zealand all lotteries except those sanctioned by the Minister of Internal Affairs are illegal. Sweepstakes are illegal anywhere except upon racecourses, but there is nothing in the statutes to prevent a person from promoting a sweepstake on a racecourse in New Zealand providing the total prize money does not exceed £5 and no

deductions are made by the promoter. But there is a "fly in the ointment." Racing Clubs have their own rules, under which they may exercise the right to exclude any person from their courses. It is unlikely that any totalisator club would allow persons to make a practice •J of conducting sweeps on their raceI courses, and any person attempting to do so would quickly be removed to the public road outside. However, on Boxing Day and New Year's Day there are held in some country districts what are termed "picnic" race meetings. There is no totalisator, and probably the provision for allowing sweepstakes within certain limits of prize money was made to permit sweeps to be promoted at such small meetings. But while this is permitted on the racecourse a similar sweepstake is illegal if conducted off the | course. Days of the "Calcutta." Many years ago, when bookmaking was a legal calling in the Dominion, sweepstakes were common, the most popular being the "Calcutta" sweep, which varies considerably from the ordinary sweep. In a "Calcutta" the subscriptions are usually £1, the number being unlimited. The horses are "drawn" in the usual way, but are then auctioned by an "auctioneer." It does not follow j that the drawer of a horse retains his interest in that horse, and the only way he can do so is by bidding and buying j it in. For instance, if the subscriptions j closed with a total of £50, there would be every chance, when the horses were sold, that the sweepstake would reach £100. When a horse is sold, the amount bid for it is divided, half going to the drawer and half into the pool. If the drawer himself buys the horse he drew, then he only pays half the amount at which it was sold, and that money goes into the pool. This is the procedure until all the horses in the race have been sold. But the days of the "Calcutta" have gone, .and only occasionally does one I hear of such-a- sweep u |

Secret Agents. - In all the post offices in the Dominion are "black lists," containing the names and addresses of persons overseas. to whom, under the postal regulations, letters will not be delivered. They are secret agents of the lottery promoters, and letters addressed to them are held up, opened by the postal officials, and any money contained therein is returned to the sender. The Post and Telegraph Department does what it can, but there are a hundred and one addresses not listed, and agents' addresses are- constantly being changed.