‘BETTING INHERENT IN HUMAN NATUREAND LABOUR PARTY’

Manawatu Times, Volume LIII, Issue 6667, 21 July 1928, Page 7

‘BETTING INHERENT IN HUMAN NATUREAND LABOUR PARTY’

Laughter in Commons At Minister’s Remark ■ TOTAIiISATOE Blli READ ... THIRD TIME United Press Association—By Electrif Telegraph—Copyright. Received Friday, 5.5 p.m. t LONDON, July ISL In the House .of, Commons at the third reading of tho Totalisator Bill Mr P. Snowden (Labour) moved its *rejec- . tion stating that, the chief reason fot its introduction was tho failure of the Chancellor -s betting tax, which was the most miserable and grotesque fiasco ir the financial history of the country. The Government nationalised betting yot opposed the. nationalisation of things .for public benefit. When the Government camo to give its record to tho. electors it would bo able to say “ we-have nationalised vico and made the'Btato nothing less than a bookiestout;” Mrs W.' Runciman (Liberal) second cd the motion. The Government, she said, had shown itself entirely indifferent to moral issues. The Bill was designed to facilitate betting and to make it a more agreeable occupation as well as giving . prestige' to ' • ■ ' ■ . ‘ Sir' WrJoynson-Hicks in reply to' a question said that he J had tried as Home Secretary to combat tho evils of betting. He did not believe tho totalisator would add thereto. He believed betting was; inherent in human nature ;B/as well as in tho Labour Party (laughter). But .the Government was not adding to the evil connected therewith. The' motion was defeated by 218 ■votes t0:■’.122, and the Bill read a, third-time. ,'i ■ , j