TOTE LICENSES.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 11 September 1924, Page 5

TOTE LICENSES.

GAMING AMENDMENT BILL. (

(By Telegraph.-— Special to Star). , WELLINGTON, Sept. 11. • , The Gaming Amendment Bill, in charge of the. Hon. R. F. Bollard, is on tne same lines' as the hotly contested measure of last session, excepting for the disappearance of the clause which empowered. the arrest without warrant of undesirables removed from a racecourse, and summary conviction with a maximum fine of £SO, or two months’ .imprisonment. The present Bill, as in the case of last year’s Bill, which failed to pass, provides that the Minister for Internal Affairs may giant to talisator licenses as follows, in addition to those authorised by the Gaming Act, 1914: (a) Not more than 12 licenses to racing clubs to use the totalisator on one day; (b) not more than 19 licenses to trotting clubs to use the totalisator on one day. Provision is made that if a racing club changes tits constitution so as to become either a trotting or a hunt club it may continue to be deemed a. racing club for tile purposes of totalisator permits, though it shall not receive a - ior number of. permits than that to which it is entitled under its new constitution. Authority is given to refund totalisator, investments in respect of horses which have been withdrawn from a race before the totalisator closes. The Bill also limits the use of the totalisator in one day to eight races. A breach of this section renders every off icier of the offendiing \c!.ub liable to a fine of £SO if he was a consenting party. Totalisator inspectors may be appointed by the Minister.