GAMING LAWS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 7, 8 July 1938, Page 13

GAMING LAWS

NEED FOR AMENDMENT

"The ' time is long overdue for the Government to pass the necessary legislation repealing the ridiculous restrictions that prevent the use of the' double totalisator; the transmission of investments to the totalisator by post or telegram from recognised receiving depots away from the racecourse; and the publication of dividends in the newspapers," stated the president, • Mr. J. S. McLeod, in his address to delegates at today's annual meeting of delegates from racing clubs to the New Zealand Racing Conference. .. "The revocation of these restrictions has been urged for years by the Conference. In the main, the law relating thereto is more honoured in.the breach than the observance, thus, encouraging a disrespect of the law which ultimately must have a bad effect upon the nation. .. "The Hon. Minister of Finance would be pleasantly surprised by the increase in revenue to the Treasury resulting from the' removal of the restrictions which create an army of law-breakers who, although assailed from, time to time before the Courts by one Government Department, are recognised by another Government Department as taxpayers. The steps taken by the Queensland Government to eliminate the startingprice bettors, and the impending action by the New South Wales Government cannot long be ignored by our Government. I urge the Government to act promptly in granting the requests the Conference has'made for so many years for the repeal of. these needles* and harassing restrictions;" .