LICENSED BETTING

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 July 1923, Page 5

LICENSED BETTING

HOME OFFICE SCHEME. SCHOOLBOYS’ PENNY BETS. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.)

LONDON, July 25. w Sir John Redder, of the Home Ofn flee, outlined a scheme prepared at ir the Betting 'lax Committee’s request, y tor licensing betting offices. lie suggested that an authority, d similar to licensing justices, be creats ed to grant licenses to bookmakers wiio li keep netting offices. The conditions , would imply that no other kind of business could be carried on. In bet- - ting offices, betting should be restrict- - ed to persons over 18. No betting ’ should be allowed on any game. The - cilice hours o[ the business should be 3 restricted, and no Sunday opening be > allowed. Sir J. Redder also submitted an alternative proposal for registration of betting offices, whereunder a person opening a betting office must apply to a court of summary jurisdiction for i legistration of his premises. Witness , said that under certain defined condii lions, he preferred registration to a ■ licensing system. I A mistress in a London school gave evidence that many children in her ■ class backed horses., She knew' cases where bookmakers accepted penny bets. Boys were often encouraged by their parents, who even lodged bets for them. Sir Ernest Beachwell, of the Home Office, said that he thought licensing or registering bookmakers’ premises would decrease street betting. The 1 Lome Office was wholly opposed to legalising betting and making bets recoverable by law. It was the considered opinion of the Home Office that a considerable amount- of the unemployed dole went into the hands of bookmakers.