THE HYDRA-HEADED EVIL

Evening Post, Volume LXXII, Issue 72, 22 September 1906, Page 5

THE HYDRA-HEADED EVIL

•LEGISLATIVE REMEDIES FOE GAMBLING. THC NEW SOUTH WALES AND VICTORIAN MEASURES. In Sydney last week the Legislative Assembly passed a Gambling Bill which, is spoken of as tho most effective measure dealing with gambling that has ever been devised in the State. A Bill on similar lines is now before the Victorian Legislative Asembly, and 0.1 Wednesday of last week its second reading was moved by Sir Samuel GilloLt on behalf of the Government. It is .cectainly a very stringent Bill, and its mefches seem fine enough to prevent the possibility of escape on legal quibbles from its penalties, which are of a drastic nature; so if it fail to achieve its object the Teasun will probably be that no Act of Parliamen.t can effectively run counter to the sentiments of- the great majority of the people. A detailed synopsis ol the provisions of the Victoria* ' Bill is here given. RAFFLES LIMITED. 'Tho Act is a measure o f 75 clauses, and under ib lotteries are declared a common nuisance and unlawful, and every sale or -gift disposal or distribution by a. lottery is made utterly void. Raffles for works of art are limited to raffles for paintings or sculpture by the painte*r or sculptor, and even these may be prohibited by the Attorney-General. Thera will be grief amongst the guessers who pride themselves on their ability to tell by a glance what is the weight of a beast, for the weight-guessing eompetii ion is- prohibited as a lottery. So, -too, is the missing word competition and tho solving of puzzles or arithmetical problems. THE DOOM OF TATTERSALL'S. Sweepstakes not exceeding £5, .and to which the individual stakes do not exceed five sbi.lings, are permitted, but Tattersall's consultations are prohibited by a provision that "No person shall sell or offer for 6ale, or dsliver or give, or buy or pay for, or knowingly receive or accept any ticket or any chance, or any share of any ticket or chance, iv any lottery which is wholly or partly established, commenced, carried on, promoted, or managed, or proposed or intended to be established, commenced, carried on, promoted, or managed in Victoria or elsewhere." ' CHINESE LOTTERIES. The Chinaman who conduct^ pak-a-poo lotteries, and who has escaped conviction because of inability of the authorities , to prove that a lottery \ras, actually I drawn, will cease to be immune.- now, ( and his patrons, toe, wi.l be no longer j safe from prosecution. It is provided that in any proceedings again&fc persons for- conducting a lottery or selling or buying a ticket it will be sufficient to show that the ticket was bought or accepted under the belief that at conveyed a Tight to the purchaser to an interest in the lottery. The sale ot a Chinese lottery ticket, whether marked or otherwise, is made prima facie evidence of the existence of the lottery, and it will not be neccsary to piove that it belongs to any particular lottery, or that any lottery will be drawn. Lottery -houses are declared to be common gaminghouses. GAMING HOUSE RISKS. Tote or totalisatot sheets, double sheets, betting lists or books, cards, etc., are all defined as instruments of gaming. The police are given power to a/rest any person, found playing or betting by way of wagering or gaming. Persons found in anj place used as a gaminghouse, without, lawful excuse, will be liable to a fine of £1 to £5, and any person who appears, acts, or behaves as master or mistTess of a common gaminghouse shall be ck-emod to be th,6 occupier whether ho is the real owner or occupier or not. Publication of information as to betting 'on horss or pony races, as to the probable result of any such race, or the I betting odds on it, or as to any totalisa- ! tors or unlawful game, is made an ! offenoe. Advertising by tipsters or post- | ing up of betting placards is also an offence 'Ihe lot' of the unoffending proprietor of premises is made easier, for he is given power to evict the occupier of ai house used as a common gaming house I on three days' notice. On an. affidavit from an officer of police . the Supremo ! Court may declare a place to be a 'com- ! mon gaming-house, and any person then found in such place may be arrested without warrant. Any pejson who has been convicted of a felony ot misdemeanour who may be found m a declared place will b/e liable to imprisonment for terms ranging frpm 1 4dayo to 365. No; trade or business of any kind can be' carried on in "declared" premised. RACE MEETINGS AND BOOKMAKERS. A limitation of race meetings will be effected. No club, association, or parson within twenty miles of tue General Post Office. Melbourne, may have races on more' than sixteen days in one year, and all racecourses must be licensed. Outside this radius the meetings are restricted to twelve days per club. Penalties pf not 'ess than £100 and not more than £SCO are prescribed for breaches. The provision that will press hardest upon the bookmaker genus is one specifying that— notwithstanding any law to the cqntrary-r-any money or valuable thing paid ot allowed, to any person, by \yay of gaming or wagering, may, m any court of competent jurisdiction, be recovered back from such person within twelve months after such payment, together with full costs of suit, by the person who paid or allowed such money or Valuable thing, or his executors or administrators. A special section says that no constable or person acting under instructions from the police shall be an offender or accomplice in the commission, of ,"an offence under the Act. DISCUSSION IN PARLIAMENT. In a discussion whicn took place on the motion for tho second reading of the Bill» Sir Samuel Gillott said that the Ministry recognised that it would be impracticable to attempt to put I down gambling altogether, but they hed decided that it might well be minimised by restricting il to racecourse!!. Gambling had led to tho ruination of many in financial and commercial life and in tho civil service itself. A member: In churches, too. Mr. Prendergast : What about tho land boomers? Mr. Waide : They oftei. blame the horse when they are found out, but other vices are responsible for their downfall. Sir Samuel Gillott: A well-known bookmaker had informed him that he didn't care how lucky a man was, if ho followed racing consistently the "books" would beat him. (Hear, hear.) That gentleman wos well-known to half the members ot the House. Mr. Gaunson : A highly - respectable gentleman. (Laughter.) Mr. Prendergast (to Mr. Gaunson): You've had a bit from them. Mr. Gaunson: And, praise the Lord, I hope to have some more. (Laughter.) Sir Samuel Gillott: This Bill aimed as discouraging; the gambling evil. Mr. J. W. Billson: And you legalise gambling by making beta recoverable. Sir Samuel Gillott : No ; it's the losses wh.icj» are xecovjirable. (Latucliter.)

Mr. Gaunson : You legalite 6s sweeps, which are now illegal. Sir Samuel Gillott: As ur as I am personally concerned, I would not strongly object to wiping out that provision about sweeps. Mr. Bent (suddenly, from the back seat): What's that? (Laughter.) Sir Samuel Gillott explained. Mr. Bent: Oh! (Laughter.) Continuing his remarks, Sir Samuel Gillott said that Parliament could not effectually put down betting until racecourses were put down altogether, and he did not think the country was pre-» pared to abolish them. Even the Qpv-' ernraent was not. As regarded common, gaming-houses, no exception was mado iv favour of any betting-houses or clubs, no matter whether high or low, whether the membership was constituted of rich or poor. All were on an equality. It was proposed to deal with the great amount of gambling which, he 'understood, took place at the Bendigo Alining Exchange. As regarded the restrictions placed on newspapers, the Government felt th&t the publication by newspapers of such information as prophecies of probable winners and about odds tended largely to increase the gambling evil. In New South Wales an amendment to the effect that the publication of odds be prohibited had been •xdopted, unanimously by the Learislative Assembly. Mr. Gaunson •. Would yon not also prohibit publication of description of dresses worn on the lawn? That's ail important factor. (Laughler.) Mr. Murray; There is no prohibition against the publication of performances — those inisleaiing reports of hprses on the training track. (Laughter.) Sir Samuel Gillott: As regarded race* courses, the Ministry had no desire to abolish existing racecourses. The clause regarding private lotteries would cover issue of coupons and a good many cases of trading that were considered unfair. The experience of the missing word and similar competitions in England justified ths clause. Mr Warde: Would the Bill prevent payiag money into a bank for Tattergall ? Sir Samuel Gillott: I think it would* Mr Gaunson : Glpry, hallelujah. Everything is all right. Mr. Beazley : Would it interfere with penny prize packets? Sir Samuel Gillott: Yes, it would. (Laughter.) Mr. Gaunson : It will not interfere with Santa Claus's stocking — that if) the only thing. Sir Samuel Giliott: All he could s^jr with regard to Tatteraall's sweeps wa* that any clause to strengthen the provisions would be accepted. TattcrsaU'f took hundreds of thousands of pound* out of the State. Chinese lotteries were to be suppressed by prohibiting the sale of tickets. Mr. M'Cutcheon : Can they gell lot* j terv tickets on a racecourse? Sir Samuel Gillott: -The y.R.C. ha* power to make bylaws to prevent that. Mr. Warde : Are there any petitions from the churches against interfering with the poor Chinese, as in tie cabi-net-making work? Sir Samuel' Gillott ; Not j«t. (Laugh* ter ) Mr. Gaunson : When a pleasant Sunday afternoon is held on a racecourse, they can't be there? Sir Simuel Gillott : No, only on race* davo. Mr. Giunson : That is giving a mo* noncly to the V.R C. Pir Samuel Qillott: Pony racecourses mnst be six furlon<?s in circumference. Mr. B?nnett: That will knock oat Richmond. Mr. Gounson : Is that portion of tha Bill aimed at any certain individual? .Sir Samuel Gi'lott: No. Chorus of members: No, no! (Laughter.) Mr. Gaunson: Judkins to the *wm".. Sir 'Si^uel Gillott: Bets are 'io fcq ret"ovei"*>Hc within 12 months. Mr. Warde : You leifalise beV-'^e on racecourses, and then odve a v&n flower to get his money back.