Page 5 Advertisements Column 4

Evening Post, Volume LXXI, Issue 147, 22 June 1906, Page 5

The gambling evil has assumed such formidable dimensions in Australia as to cause the thinking section of the public the gravest concern. The Government of New South Wales has come to the conclusion -that exisfiing legislation deals too tenderly with this moral plague, and has determined to introduce a Bill early next session -which will deal drastically with the question of illegal totalisators, "clubs," and other gambling establishments. Tho Bill which the Government witih introduce is to be that known as Mr. Mackay's Bill. This is very short, and in a few sections deals decisively with the whole question. All that is required for the suppression of a gambling establishment is that an affidavit) shall be made declaring that th© place is used fcrr tho purposes of gambling. ' This will be /placed before a Justice of the Supreme Court, and he .will thereupon order the occupantte to show cause why the place should not be "proclaimed" under the Act. Should they fail to satisfactorily prove that tho place is not used for gambling purposes, the Judge will issue a certificate practically putting the establishment in quarantine. Tins certificate will be affixed to the door of the premises, and thereafter the police will be empowered to arrest any persons entering, issuing from, or found on the premises. Such persons will bo broucrht hefore a Magistrate, and imprisoned for three monthe This Bill in itself is regarded by the police as effective enough to give tihem control over gambling ; but they ask also for certain additional powers which under the present ineffective law they do not posssss. In his evidence before 1 the Police Commission, Mr. Robert Sharp, late Superintendent of tihe Criminal Investigation Branch, warmly upheld Mr. Maekay'g Bill as the one most calculated to enable the police to stamp outi illegal gambling nstablishmenta. Three of the recently-arrived navvies from the Old Country applied to tibe Hamilton Borough Engineer for a job, and he lias put them on to clear gorse from borough allotments. They have only been about a fortnight in the colony, reports the New Zealand Herald. They were sent by the Labour Department to the works on the Main Trunk Line, but complained tlhafc the conditions of life were unfit for a dog, and threw the work up. An experienced clerk attends to our Customs entries. No trouble to shippera or others. Ring up the New Zealand Express Co. Telephone 92. — Advt.