PARLIAMENT

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 57, 5 September 1934, Page 11

PARLIAMENT

TODAY'S PROCEEDINGS

LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

Tho Legislative Council met at 2.30 p.m. today.

In moving the second reading of the Gaming Amendment Bill, the Hon. E. R. Davis said that he .regarded the measure as a most important one. It affected the Government Treasury, the racing clubs, the racing industry, and thousands of followers of the sport. The sole object of the second clause of the Bill was to afford the thousands of people who frequented racecourses to invest on cither single or double totalisators. At the present time they were forced to make double investments through illegal channels. The doublo totalisator proposed in tho Bill was different from that which was in operation prior to 1907. The patrons of a racecourse attended voluntarily, and they were not forced to bet. No credit was given, and bets on the totalisator had to be made on tho course. Gambling was a national instinct, and if the single totalisator was allowed, it was only just, right, and logical that tho double totalisator should be placed on the same plane. He was in favour of the licensing of bookmakers, but that was beyond the scope of the present Bill. The majority of bookmakers were honourable men who were allowed to operate legally in many other countries, and raced horses against Royalty and the nobility. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES The House of Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. today. The report of the Comptroller and Auditor-General was laid on the table.

(Proceeding.)