A VICTORIAN REFORMER.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 69, 14 December 1907, Page 7

A VICTORIAN REFORMER.

MR. W. H. JUDKINS INTERTIEAVED. ,>%R ANTI-GAMBLING BILL. During a few hours which ho spent in. Wellington yesterday, Mr. W. H. Judkins, of Molbouvuo, editor of the "Australasian Review'of Reviews," found tiino to :givo a Dominion' reporter his views on somo questions of the hour.' : It is woll known that Air. Judkins was the-leading figure in'tho Vic-torian-anti-gambling agitation which led to tho'passing of ah Act of Parliament which was to. some extent copied by Now South Wales,'and moro recently in tho Gaming and Lottorics Act which has lately como ' into force in this country/Naturally, therefore, this ;was the first subject suggestod by tho iutorvloworl ' "

"I approve of''much in y.our now Act," Baid'JUr.' Judkins, "but ono thing which I do not'-like is tho licensing of bookmakers.. It is creating another difficulty, for it .will bo ha'rdor to fight tho totalisator and the licensed bookmakers together than tho totalisator alone. Our oxperienco in .Victoria was that' the bookmakers wore a most important element.in the light;.because, as soon as we bog'an-.'to: tacklcj r the hotting evil, wo wore running, counter, to their interests:. 'True, the bookmakers ,!are licensed by our clubs, but that has boon so for a long time, whereas hore in, Now Zealand it is an innovation, and a biid one.. v'V: '"-.->.-'

; ;' -t; : ■ .THE VICTORIAN ACT. "A* regards our Anti-Gambling Act in Victoria,: it .is. satisfactory as far, as it goes, though! should.'b'avo liked something more. Street-hotting is 'prohibited, Tattersall's is mado illegal, the Collingwodd tote' is': done for. Bottmg is now practically' confined to the racoeourses, and' tho totalisator is 1 -not allowed', oven there. An attempt was made, during tho passage of tho Bill, tb\ introduce it,..but Victoria,"would,-not : havo it at any price ~Wo; had,-the bad cxamplo.of New South, Wales at :bur doors, and bad as matters -were in .Victoria, she 1 ha'd; never sunk so :lo,w .asi-tho sister. State. \.

THE POSTMASTER AND TATTERSALL'S. "GWhbling in Australia has also been .dealt a-severe, blow by Mr. Mauger; the Federal Postmaster-General!. Ho ia taking full advantage'of the - powers given him by the Postal Act. to .provent tbo delivery of any mail matter at promises'where ho believes that gambling, is carried, on. As a conscquonco,: no, 1 otters \'aro delivered to Tattorsall's. .This i.ntordict is, however, boing circumvented to ."sorno' extent. Certain firms act'as agents f 0r..-Tattcrsall's, and parcels are coUected in Melbourno and sont to them: Hut-, the- cord -of. tho. law is being gradually tightened, and every week,, it grows harder to., sbrid' money-fOr orders to Tattersall's. Tasmania still -Insists, that, she cannot, do without, her) .£60,000 a year from Tattercall's, and ■ continues to act as. an ulcer in of the Commonwealth."

" ' THE NO-LICENSE MOVEMENT. Mr.'Judkins said . the'no-liconse, move-ment,-had .'progressed wonderfully in Victoria)■ but .tho present position was not altogether, satisfactory. A Local Option Bill was.'put'through Parlia'mont last year, but tbe.beneffts'of ..local option would bedolayed for ton, years. In tho meantimo;thrce highly paid- gontlomon were charged with tho duty ofsdecidihg 'what hotels woro to bo closed in districts'.Hvhefci tho legal number- in proportioja'to tho .population was exceeded. ""We consider'that, a'bad method,"'said Mr. Judkins, .'.'because it,is undemocratic. _ Tho people should havo ticon allowed, to decide on the reduction of lic'chsos'' without' any expense beyond that connected wish tho/recording of. their, votes. "Another bad-feature is that tho prinof .compensation; .is affirmed. True, tho iriorioyis raised' by. a special tax on'the tra'd.o,.vbut the offc'ct",of tho legislation .will be'jto delay tbo_ ho-liconso movement. I am very.anxious 'to--again take up'tho cudgels against. the Jradti'-'&t : tho '.'earliest '■•■ possibld mojneht.'; "~)& present ,; t)ie licensed houses in Victoria exceed' tlio' 1 : 1 st'a'tutor-y"- number :by something like 1400,- but the Board I spoke of *(San only '.r'educ'o them as-far as the -money tvailablp"for 'compensation.,will allow.-. '. . PROHIBITION IN .NEW ZEALAND. '"'' "I. am dolighted with the progress of the no-license movement in Now Zealand. Looking at'it'from a disianco,''|We;fc'cl sure that with ' a- little mbro organisation, and a little more .effort, .it, will not be very long before tno.grcator'part of Now Zealand will enjoy . tho.blessirigs of no-licenso. Before your noxt licensing poll,' I hope to be 'actively engaged in | a'"platform campaign in tin's country in the; cause." - . , '-, "WELLINGTON. Finally, Mr. Judkins said that'his few hours' ■' in : Wellington had been • cxtromely pleasant. In 'meeting old frionds hero, ho hadibo'en struck by tho fact that seven yoars Bcemedito have added nothing to their ages. Ho could only conclude that this was due to the:splendid climate.-His frionds in Australia did not keep young in this remarkable way. :■ :_'■"-.' v -'' ''•;'