Manawatu Evening Standard. Circulation, 3.500 Copies Daily WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1910. THE GAMING BILL.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLI, Issue 9361, 9 November 1910, Page 4

Manawatu Evening Standard. Circulation, 3.500 Copies Daily WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 1910. THE GAMING BILL.

The Gaming Bill has received careful attention from the Select Committee appointed to deal with it, and satisfaction is expressed with most of the amendments. Everyone was prepared to admit that there was too much racing in the Dominion, and the reduction of the number of days to 250 is a step in the right direction. Most clubs have eight events on their programmes, but the number is to be reduced to seven, which will ease the burden of the clubs in providing stake money and at.the same time satisfy the wishes of the racing community. The bookmaker is dealt with more effectively under the new proposals. As the Bill was drafted originally he , was to be debarred from entering racecourses where the totalisator was in force. That meant that he was td be given a free hand at all other meet-

ings, and he could also shout himself hoarse in calling the odds at coursing fixtures and pigeon shooting matches. The impropriety of this was recognised, and a clause was added by the Committee debarring the bookmaker from attending these fixtures. This was a very proper position to take up, and will go a long way towards destroying the calling in the Dominion. The bookmaker is: to be allowed until January 31 to wind up his business, and there will probably be an exodus i shortly of some opulent-looking gentlemen to Australia's shores. Among other provisions it is intended to make the totalisator a "cash" machine, no investment on the totalisator to be received otherwise than in money or bank notes or cheques before or at the time of the investment. Another new clause is one which proposes to allow newspapers to publish totalisator dividends. The Citizens' Anti-Gambling League, which claims

"to represent the reform sentiment of the Dominion," has made an angry protest against the latter clause, and is petitioning members of Parliament asking that it be not'agreed to. It says "that the clause was one of the most signal.of the reforms set on foot in 1908, and its effect has been widespread ; that the repeal of the clause is a substantial encouragement to bookmakers to prosecute illicit streetbetting; that it is a wanton infringement of the principle of the new Bill, and will everywhere be looked upon as* a concession to bookmakers, against whom Parliament sanctioned war to the knife by an overwhelming majority; that the prohibition has been accepted by-the newspapers without demur,-and there has been no outcry." The latter statement is cor-

rect. The Government were making an honest attempt to cope with the gambling evil, and the newspapers were willing to assist by offering no objection to restriction in the publication of sporting news. The Press have not asked for a removal of the embargo, and if the publication of dividends will have the effect stated by the League they would prefer that in this particular the law should remain in its present form. In view of th© silence of the Press it seems very strange that such an ' amendment should have been made to the Bill.