GAMING LAW

Evening Post, Volume CVIII, Issue 63, 11 September 1924, Page 9

GAMING LAW

THE GOVERNMENT BILL

The Gaming Amendment Bill, in charge of the Hon. R. F. Bollard, is on the same lines as the hotly-contested measure of last session, excepting for the disappearance' of the clause which empowered the arrest, without warrant, of undesirables removed from racecourse and summary conviction with a maximum fine of £50 or two months' imprisonment. ■

The present Bill, as in the case of last year's Bill, which failed to pass, provides that the Minister of Internal Affairs may grant totalisator licenses as follows in addition to those authorised by the Gaming Act, 1914:—(a) Not more than 12 licenses to racing clubs to use the totalisator on one day; (b) not more than 19 licenses to trotting clubs to use the totalisator on one day _ Provision is made that if a Vacin"club changes its constitution so as-to become either a trotting or a hunt club it may continue to be deemed a racing club for the purposes of totalisator per° mits, though, it shall not receive a greater, number of permits than that to which it is entitled- under its new constitution. ' ■■•.-"•..

Authority: is" given to refund totalisator investments in respect of horses which have withdrawn from a race before the totalisator closes. The Bill also limits the use of the totalisator in one day to eight races, a breach of this section rendering every officer of the offending club liable to a fine of £50 if he was a consenting party. ; The assets of clubs dissolved are to be distributed for public or charitable purposes approved by . the Minister The final clause empowers the appointment of one or more totalisator inspectors with full rights of entry to race meetings and inspection totalisator machines.