ANTI-GAMBLING. DEPUTATION TO THE PREMIER.

Evening Post, Volume LXXIV, Issue 26, 30 July 1907, Page 6

ANTI-GAMBLING. DEPUTATION TO THE PREMIER.

■--LEGISLATION ASKED FOR. | SIR JOSEPH WARD IN REPLY. A 'deputation of Wellington citizens, clergymen, members of Parliament, and others interested in tho suppression of gambling waited on the Premier (Sir. Joseph Ward) to-day with a request for the imposition of further legislative restrictions on what was represented to be a growing and great evil. The principal cities of the colony were also represented on the deputation. The deputation was introduced by Mr. J. G. W. Aitken, who said that the amendments brought down in last year's Bill did not quite meet the desires of tho deputation. •".THE DEPUTATION'S VIEWS. Mr. A. S. .Malcolm, M.H.R., was the first speaker. Personally, ho said, ho favoured the abolition of the totalizator. On the whole question of gambling a sentiment was arising which would have to mo met. He trusted the Government would legislate speedily and wisely. Mr. John Hutcheson declared that the members of the deputation were not meddlesome people. They desired that some check should be given to an unmitigated curse, and that tho Premier in his. high office, should endeavour to make- it exceedingly difficult for young people to indulge in gambling. It was ■wW-known that the Premier could not be expected to give ear to ono party alone, but if the "sport of kings" was to be carrieoj on they asked that its area should be exclusively confined to tho racecourse, and that steps should be taken to prevent the broadcast dissemination of racing news. I, The Rev. J, J. North said the deputation was disappointed that last year's BilL. contained no provision for the abo,li,tjon. of the totalisator. Last year t"he total investments in the toalisaor increased by £200,000, bringing the gross amount* from one and a half millions to £1,800,000. This year the total would be over £2,000,000. The double totalisator was tho sheerest form of gamriling. He declared that tho vice of gambling was growing jxt an enormous pace. The Government's efforts to put down gambling while it tolerated tho totalisator smacked of hypocrisy. He objected to the provisions of last year's "Bill, whereby the Government was given- -an increased percentage of investments, as -well as the proposal to devote part of the proceeds to the maintenance of tho aged needy and similar charitable; objects. It was also a matter for regret that last year's Bill contained no provision prohibiting the publication by the press of totalisator dividends. Last year the Government issued permits to 302 racing clubs— so ho supposed that was the official estimate of the quantity of racing that was good for the country — but 157 unlicensed clubs were carrying on business at the same time. Another member of the- deputation, Mr. Eagle, wanted something done to prevent gambling in land. THE PREMIER'S REPLY. The Premier, in the course of his reply, said he was very glad again to have the opportunity of hearing tho views of thosb who were anxious to sco an amendment made, in the gambling laws of the colony, and he must necessarily refer to the last meeting as well as the present one. The same ground had -been gone over again, and he wanted to say quite frankly that if they ex.pectod legislation to be got through, and they wanted everything that, for instance, Mr. North proposed, they would only defer legislation for a very long time. They must go as far as it was possible to go and not expect tho impossible. Last year's ' Bill tried to give effect to what he thought was a tremendous advance, and would include several very important reforms. It did away with street betting, made betting by minors almost impossible, and -also limited betting to racecourses. If they got legislation of that sort on 'the statute book it would, he thought, be ,& tremendous advance, and was about as much as they could expect to get through. The whole point was whether or not legislation of this character was .to be put on the statute book. He was persuaded that if that was to' be done they had in the first instance to confine gambling to the racecourse ; that would be a tremendous ■ step forward — a tremendous reform. As to tho abolition of the totalisator they must recognise that it was not possible to get such a proposal through Parliament ; and in that case, ho askod, was it desirable to defer legislation of a general description until it was possible? It was not desirable. They must put advanced legislatioh on. the statute book first. His own opinion ' was that tho racecourses should be cut off from the telegraph system, as they nearly all are now. . The Government had a tremendous volume of business to get through, a great deal of it must be got through, but tho now Bill dealing with this subject' was ready for introduction to the House, and ho hoped with tho assistance of Parliament to be able to get legislation on the statute book this year. He . \va^ anxious to make a reform in this direction^ He was anxious to do all in j hi,s x power to meet the wishes of the deputation but ho recognised that there was-^a large section of the community who looked upon race-meetings as part and parcel of a system which they supported and believed in. These people could not be ignored. Personally he (Sir Joseph) did not see any harm in a race meeting if it was carried out properly, and he did not think tho spirit referred to could be put down by Jiny desire on his part or tho part of the deputation. The legislation proposed would confine! betting to the racecourse^ and it would effectually prohibit tho dissemination of racing news by the telegraph service. Last year he had left tho press out of the Bill, because, rightly or wrongly, he wanted the co-operation of the press. .They , had only to count heads to see how far Ihey could go in these matters. He thought the system of double betting ought to be stoppad — (Hear, hear) — and provision for doing this would be included in the Bill already drafted. Ho wanted to prevent .the young people of the country fror.i gambling, and he would do his very best to -get tiie Bill through this session. If the measure did not go as far as those "present desired, he honod it would be recognised that the Bill went as far as possible if success was to be looked for. A proposal for the abolition of the^ to<lall!sator would not pass the House, but he ventured to say tho measure he had drafted would result in as great — if not ft greater — improvement than had been effected iri Sydney and Melbourne. If legislation was to be put through the ICouss impossible proposals would have to bo loft out of the Bill. He did not rftind candidly saying that the proposal in last year's Bill to give one per cent, of the investments to local chanties was (nit in advisedly and with a view to getling the legislation on tho statute book. A Voice : "It's a bad proposal." Sir Joseph : "A gentleman behind me Snvs that it is bad. I think it is. (Hear, hear,) We can leave it out of the .Bill this time." He admitted that

seat was undoubtedly a curse to the community. So far as the reference to gambling in land was concerned, he did not think this question could be dealt with in the present Bill. (Hear, hear.) The subject was one for treatment inj the Land Bill. The solution of thej trouble was cheap railway ' fares and rapid means of communication, so that people could get out of tho congested areas. The present condition of affairs would enforce attention in time. Some improvements had been made in the Bill and he hoped the deputation; would recognise that it was a sincere attempt to deal with the whole question/ of gambling. The point as to whether anything should be done to prevent newspapers publishing dividends on- faces could be' again put before his colleagues. He believed the newspaper proprietors would do everything they could to improve the present condition of affairs.