RACING COMMISSION

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLI, Issue XLI, 7 May 1921, Page 7

RACING COMMISSION

FINAL EVIDENCE BEING TAKEN

(BY TELEGRAPH—pt*t-™ iQt n| ir,Ti W rru t> • WELLINGTON, May 7. lne Kacmg Commission is sitting to-i day to take final evidence prior to drawing up its report - r T^ c 3f7* ,Dr Pinfold > the Wellington Methodist Church Synod, the iuolic Morals and Temperance Committee of the Methodist Conference of x\e\y Zealand, the Young People's Society of Christian Endeavour Union and the Methodist Conference held in Auckland in February, read a series of ; resolutions passed by the bodies men- ! tioned protesting against any proposal to intensify the gambling evil in New Zealand by increasing the number of : racing permits, especially at a time ' when the country was passing through a period of financial stringency and ] when the public leaders were urging'! thrift and economy. To increase gambJihg at the present could only be re- ! garded as a public scandal. 'The organisations he had mentioned were opposed to multiplying the means of legalised gambling. The desire^for permits did not arise among citizens generally. On the other hand there had' been many resolutions against an increase. The request for an increase had come from the interested portion of the raping fraternity itself. An increase would mean an increase in the amount of drunkenness.