THE GAMING BILL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 964, 3 November 1910, Page 7

THE GAMING BILL.

IMPORTANT AMENDMENTS. BOOKMAKER TO GO/ TOTALISATOR DAYS REDUCED; Important amendments have been made in the Gaming Bill by the Select Committee which took evidence on it. . The provisions for restricting the issue of licenses are wholly removed trom tho Bill, which it is now proposed should corao into forco on January 31 of next year. Tho number of days on which the totalisator may be used during the year at racing and trotting meetings shall not exceed two hundred and fifty, each class of racing to bo reduced proportionately to tho number of days on which the totalisator was used by each class during the twelve months immediately preceding tlie- coming into operation of this Act. Ihis is a.reduction of fifty-five days, or nearly one-sixth. It is made the duty of all racing clubs (not only those authorised to use the totalisator) to uso all lawful means to prevouc bookmakers plying their callW? 1 , raoK « ur sc- Bookmakers are iorbiddon at coursing matches, pigeon' shooting matches, and inanimate shooting The Governor may appoint a commission to determine the allocation (not number) of licenses to be. issued.

The penalty for misrepresenting age to bo allowed to make an investment ou tSS is raised * a fine not The present restriction on newspapers publishing starting prices and dividends is. removed.

ho investment on the totalisator shall Bβ received otherwise than in money, bank-notes; or chequo hefore or at the time of tho investment. ' Every person who makes or offers to make any bet or wager on any racecourse is liable, on summary conviction to a fine not less than twenty pounds and not exceeding one hundred pounds tot a first offence, and to imprisonment for a period not exceeding three months ror a second or any subsequent offence against this section, whetW of the same or of a different kind. ■ The following new clause is added: No race meeting shall extend over a longer period than eight days in the case of a four-day meeting, or six days m the case of a three-day meeting,- 01 four days in the case of a two-day meeting.; Not more than seven races shall be run on' any one day at any race meeting. (At present eight are allowed.) This section shall come into operation on tlie- first day of August, 1911.

! DISCUSSION IN THE HOUSE. EVIDENCE NOT AVAILABLE. Mr. Massey asked if the evidence given before the committee would be printed. Mr. Laurenson (Chairman of the Committee on tho Bill): No, the evidence was;not recorded.

Mr. Jlassey: I think we should have had the evidence. Most members of the House will be very disappointed that very valuable evidence has , *ot been taken down so that members of the House generally may have the advantage, of it as well as members of that committee. " .

Sir Joseph Ward said the committee was prompted by a desire that :the Bill should be reported this' session. .If the evidence had been taken down in shorthand for printing the committee might have- beeti sitting for another wttk or so. Indeed they might not have got the Bill at all. ." ■

Mr. Allen (Bruce) said it,would not have mattered if it had taken another week, but he could hardly see how that could be. It was a comparatively, easy matter to tako evidence nowadays in shorthand.

Mr. Arnold (Dunedin Central) said experience showed that the taking of evidence with the idea of printing it , extended t'lio time. It would be futile to report the Bill unless the evidence were laid or; the table with it. They might have the Bill, and the evidence might not be available for three weeks.

Mr. G. M. Thomson (Dunedin North): I cannot see why this "evidence should not he taken down in shorthand. They had. petty matters taken down in shorthand. This was of such enormous and national importance that they should have been in possession of the evidence, to sco it and decide upon its merits. It was a pity they had not'recorded the evidence, even though it had kept the Bill back for a fortnight. Mr. Laurenson (Lyttelton) said that the Committee of twelve members hold-inn-diversified views were unanimous that it would be undesirable to attempt to get the evidence printed, in view of the time it would have occupied. Several of the more important witnesses had handed the Cqmnifttee printed' statements,: summarising their ideas on the Bill. These papers would be available for any member who wished to see them. In addition, there was a summary of the evidence in the minutebook.

Mr. Wilford: Can we cVen see that special letter from Auckland? Mr. Laurenson: Yes; I.shall be vert pleased to let you see that. , The Bill was tlien set down for committal "on next, sitting day." •