RACING PERMITS AND GAMBLING

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 June 1912, Page 3

RACING PERMITS AND GAMBLING

ACTIVE LETTER TO THE MINISTER. V [BT TELEGRAPH —SPECIAL TO THE STAR.J WELLINGTON, This Day. As a consequence of the agitation for the increase of permits to meet the hardship caused to country clubs, which have been totally deprived of them, the Anti-Gambling League of New Zealand has officially communicated with the Minister of Internal Affairs, protesting against any increase in the sum total permits.

One of their prominent'members remarked to me that the League believes that big racing centres, like Auckland or Christchurch could, with advantage to the public, be deprived of a few days racing and these permits allocated to country clubs. The League’s letter is as follows :

“The Hon. G. W. Russell,—Sir : ‘The Anti-Gambling League of this land views Avith much apprehension the attempts that are being made by constant deputations to secure an increase i the number of race days sanctioned for this dominion. The slight reduction effected by the recent Act by no means met the urgency of the claim for reform. Gambling iu this land is assuming such huge proportions that it threatens the commercial stability as well as the' moral integrity of the people. The country suffers not only from a licensd totalisator, but also from an unlicensed and (in the present condition of legislation) an irrepressible horde of bookmakers- Our condition, both, as the means for’gambling, compares very unfavorably with that existing in either Victoria or New South Wales. There are, we assure you, in this land great numbers of people who regard the gambling evil and the existing legislation regarding it with the utmost apprehension. We do not express any opinion as to the justice of the division of the recent Commission of the among existing Clubs, nor do we express any hostility towards a rearrangement of permits on the basis of the present number of race days, but we assure you that any proposal to increase, by however small a number, the race days allowed by the last Act will be met by an agitation and a storm of protest that will be felt throughout the land. Wo cannot believe that any such retrograde step will be suggested by the Ministry or tolerated by the Legislature.— Singed for the AntiGarnbling League of Now Zealand; .1. G. W. Aitken (President), J. J. North (Secretary).”