Prizes of Money Value Make Euchre Tourneys IIIegal, Says Minister

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6665, 19 July 1928, Page 7

Prizes of Money Value Make Euchre Tourneys lllegal, Says Minister

NOT ORLY PAYMENTS IN CASK BUT IN EQUIVALENTS OF CASH POKBIDDEIV. , Times Special. From Our Own Parliamentary Reporter. WELLINGTON, Last Night. Euchre tournaments were again referred to imstho House to-day when the. Minister of Justice, Hon. F. J. Eollestou, intimated that there was nothing in the recent Supreme Court decision to say that a euchre tournament was illegal unless the circumstances were such as to constitute the premises where it was held “a common gaming house" within the meaning of the Act. The law under which a conviction was recorded in Chnetc»iurcn recently said the Minister, was not a new one. It was at least 20 years old. What happened in Christchurch was that an enterprising individual rented a >nll, charged for admission, and offered-cash prizes.

Mr. W. S. Glenn (Raagitikei): The point then is that you must not play for cash? The Minister: No, the Act says—- ‘ ‘ Prizes of money value. ’ ’ Anything that had a money value would come within the meaning of the Act. It is very difficult to lay down » principle as to'what is legal or illegal because the circumstances in each case must be taken into consideration. The Minister of Justice or the At-torney-General does not want to lay down something which a Magistrate might hold-was not illegal. That >s the point. A Member: What about school committees? Tho Minister replied that if the cir-

cumstanccs wore such as to constitute the premises a common gaming house they would be committing a breach of the Act. When there was any doubt tho best way out of tho difficulty would ho to seek advice from someone who know the law on tho matter. Mr. A. Atmore (Nelson); The layman would have to go to Court beforo he found out? Tho Minister: That would bo the only way to determine whether the circumsanccs constitutes a breach. Tho difficulty of legalising euchre tournaments is that they would bo open to abuse. However, the Government, ho added, did not. wish to act harshly where no harm was being done.