Three Months' Gaol For Playing Cards

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30919, 27 November 1965, Page 19

Three Months' Gaol For Playing Cards

CN.Z. Press Association —Copyright)

PORT MORESBY, Nov. 26.

The New Guinea House of Assembly has overwhelmingly defeated a move to repeal the controversial Playing Cards Ordinance it made in August.

The ordinance makes it an offence to play any sort of cards in a private home, unless the cards have been hired or borrowed from a licensed card-playing premises and returned as soon as possible. Bridge-players who play with their own cards in their own homes, for example, are liable to three months’ goal.

The ordinance, which also makes it an offence to import or manufacture playing cards

without the authority of the Commissioner of Police, is at present before the' Governor General, (Lord Casey), who has the right to disallow it before it becomes law.

The ordinance is an attempt to lessen the incidence of gambling. “Laughing Stock”

Mr Keith Tetley, who introduced the bill to repeal the original ordinance, said it made the Papua-New Guinea Parliament “the laughing stock of the world.” “Any law that cannot be enforced is a stupid law.” he said.

“Since the ordinance was passed people have been buying up playing cards by the gross, which makes it quite clear that they intend to continue playing.” The Government has let this House write into law one of the most ridiculous pieces of legislation in history,” he said.