CONTENTIOUS BILL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23139, 10 September 1938, Page 13

CONTENTIOUS BILL

NEW SOUTH WALES GAMING AND BETTING PASSAGE OF MEASURE VITAL RESTRICTIONS By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright (Received September 9, 9.45 p.m.) SYDNEY, Sept. 9 The Gaining and Betting Amendment Bill was passed by the Lcgislative Council to-day. The most contentious piece of legislation presented in New South Wales for many years, the Gaming ancl Betting Amendment Bill aimed at the suppression of starting-price betting, was passed by the Legislative Assembly last week after some important amendments had beeu mado to it.

The bill, as originally presented by the Government, provided that the averment in a charge that a person was a bookmaker was prima facie cvi-. deuce of the fact. This was amended to provide that denial on oath by the person charged that he was a bookmaker would bo sufficient to destroy the averment, and thus the onus remains on the prosecution to prove the charge in every case where the denial is made.

A sub-clause which exempted newspapers from the prohibition against the publication or dissemination of betting odds on races or totalisator dividends before the actual starting time of the last race at the meeting was deleted. The effect of the clause now is that, in addition to the broadcasting stations being prevented from announcing betting information immediately after each race, Sydney's only evening newspaper will also be unable to publish the prices until after the last race has been run.

The Assembly inserted a provision that a person convicted of "street" betting as a clerk, employee, or agent of a starting-price bookmaker can sue for recovery of the amount he is fined from his principal. Betting has been made legal on a racecourse only where races are being held, this provision being inserted to overcome a growing custom of using country racecourses where no races are being held as a betting place with the help of radio. The Government itself amended the bill to delete a clause which prohibited the unauthorised publication of nominations, weights and acceptances so far as newspapers are concerned. The clause was originally inserted to prevent the printing and distribution of "bogus" racehooks, but it was pointed out that the race clubs could use this power to hamper any newspaper which criticised them. The prohibition against the unauthorised publication of such particulars except by newspapers was left in the bill.