BIGGER GAMES OF HOUSIE

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29368, 22 November 1960, Page 19

BIGGER GAMES OF HOUSIE

Demand Within R.S.A.

Within -the Returned Services* Association, which was one of the major organisations to press for the legalisation of the game of housie, there is a demand for 300-card games to be permitted. The quarterly Conference of Christchurch suburban and subbranch committees asked the Christchurch executive for support in this last evening. During the discussion it was said that some committees wanted to enlarge housie from 150 cards to 300 cards simply to cater for the big demand. Granted this concession they were prepared to reduce the charge from Is to 6d a card and thus have no greater sum involved. However, other committees in smaller centres would not be prepared to accept such a reduction in charge because they had limited numbers of supporters. It was also said that many R.S.A. committees liked the game as an entertainment for members rather than as a money spinner. Whereas some took 33 1-3 per cent, of the pool, others took as little as 12i per cent. When the Christchurch execuive attempted to reach a decision, it agreed that it could not deal with anything outside the 300-card proposal because alteration of other conditions might not be acceptable to other committees. The whole matter will be referred to suburban and subbranch committees to test their feelings in the matter and representations will then be made (if necessary) to the Dominion executive.