METHODIST CHURCH OPPOSES OFFCOURSE BETTING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXVI, Issue 22877, 22 February 1949, Page 3

METHODIST CHURCH OPPOSES OFFCOURSE BETTING

I (P.A.) WELLINGTON. Feb. 22. | A call to all its members and adher- | cuts and other people who had the ' moral welfare cf New Zealand at heart | to exercise their votes at the refereni dam on licensing and off-course betting on March 9 was issued yesterday by the executive committee of the Methodist Conference of New Zealand. “It is out of profound conviction that a return to the old order of 10 p.m. closing of hotel bars would be a tragic mistake," says the statement. “Six o’clock closing has brought about a ■marked decrease of drunkenness and resultant crime. Pakeha-Mar d Pacit “As the Methodist Church, which bc- ■ gan mission work among the Maori people in 1822, we deplore the proposal jto break the solemn pact, entered into between the Maori and the pakeha that i no liquor licenses should ever be granted in the King Country. We, therefore, ; call on all residents in that area to [vote against the introduction of | licenses whioh would inevitably have [harmful effects, against possibility of which all good citizens should exert every effort. "Regarding the referendum on ofTcourse betting, we are profoundly convinced that these proposed increased facilities with betting shops in main streets: “Will Increase Gambling” “1. Will considerably increase the volume of gambling. “2. Will swell the number of new bettors (legalising any activity gives it an air of respectability and tends to condone a grave social menace. “3. Will not eliminate the bookmaker but, on the contrary, will create two forms of oIT-course betting—(a) legal and <b) continuation of illegal bookmaking. “4. Will withdraw typists, stenographers and skilled staffs from legitimate business, the civil service and industry to employment in a betting agency. “The alternative to this proposal is to confine all betting to where it can do the least harm, the racecourse, and to eliminate the bookmaker. We. therefore, urge upon people to vote without fail and to vote against this proposal.”