THE GAMING BILL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 972, 12 November 1910, Page 10

THE GAMING BILL.

Sir,—The- new Gaming Act does not seem to meet with the approval of tho Anti-Gambling League and another indignation meeting is going to interview Sir Joseph Ward. One of tho bones that stick in their throats is the repealing of tho clause relating to publication of dividends. Speculation away from tho course goes on just the same now, and it always will be so as long as horseracing is in existence. Perhaps they are not aware that a little double on'the lato Now Zealand Cup and Stewards' Handicap has been going strong for tho last two or three months, and I can also assure them that anybody, if ho has got any interest in any race at any meeting in New Zealand, and is anxious to get tho dividend it is as.-sim-ple* as A B C to -do so. Government has fired the "bookies" out, reduced tho days of meetings,'and also totalisa-. tor permits, and have treated them remarkably well. If the Anti-Gambling League has to put their hands in their pockets and recompense the hundreds of men they would put out of employment, we might not hear so much on this subject. AYhat is the Stock Exchange and land speculation? Nothing else but a huge gamble pure and simple, but they never say anything about that. Why should a certain class of people who never take any enjoyment and would make one's life a perfect misery, in their selfishness bo allowed to dictato to the people of New Zealand what they should do and what they should not do? If racing is to bo abolished let there be a Dominion vote on tho matter, and let every one have a say on the question: Yes or no.' I cannot understand how it is they get such a good hearing in the House and it is incomprehensible to mo why tho sporting public are so apathetic in this matter. New Zealand will bo a lovely ' country to live in shortly.—l am, etc., . F. BAENETT, Pahiatua.