TOTALISATOR PERMITS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15827, 28 July 1913, Page 2

TOTALISATOR PERMITS.

TWO PRIVATE BILLS. HOW WILL THEY FARE'; (From Our Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, July 27. Tlic position of the two Gamins Act Amendment -bills dealing with the question of louiisator permits which arc before the house at tne present tame is a little peeuljar. Both are private members' Bills. Air Wilford's Bill, which aims at indefinitely increasing the number of permits wiiich may be issued, came up for its second reading late on Thursday night. The debate was adjourned before tiie motion had been put, and it was then commonly assumed that the Bill had been killed, but this is not the case, 'the Bill now stands on the order-paper as the second order of the day ior Thursday, the only item in a better position being a Ohnaichurch local Bill. Local Bills have first claim to attention on Thursdays, and a number of these measures are now before the Local Bills Committee. If they arc reported and restored to the order-paper before Thursday Mr Wilford's Bill will be moved down; but failing this it occupies a good position, and will probably come up in plenty of time to allow the second reading debate to be indefinitely extended, if not concluded.

Mr Hunter's Gaming Act Amendment Bill, which provides ior the issue of 30 additional permits for the benefit of oneday racing clubs, hunt clubs, and trotting clubs, stands fourth on the order-paper for Wednesday (private members' day). Taking into account what happened last week, the ohances of the Bill* coming up for its second reading on Wednesday seem to be somewhat problematical. Apart from the points already noted ■there is a possibility that the "imprest Supply Bill debate, due to take place this week, may interfere to some extent with the days, devoted to private and local Bills, it is understood, however, that the House will be afforded an opportunity before the session ends of going to a division orc\ the second reading of Mr Hunter's Bill. If the' opportunity did not arise in the ordinary course the Government could provide for it by allowing the Bill, at a suitable juncture, to take precedence of Government business.

MR WILFORD'S BILL.

AUCKLAND CLERGY PROTEST. (From Our Own C6itiiESFOND£i\*T.) AUCKLAND, July 27. Two telegrams relating to toialisawr permits ana premium bonos have been sent by the Auckland Ministers' Association to tne ±Time .Minister and Messrs .Myers, bradney, Harris, Mancier, and it. K ik>iard, M.iVs 'the messages, which were signed by the hev. Isaac jolly (president), aim the itev. Howard Miott (convenor oi the irublic -Morals Conimitteej, were as loiiow :-(j) "On behalf of the Ministers' Association, wnich represents 0-0,000 people in the' Auckland Province, we desire to .enter an earnest and emphatic protest against- the Uiii introduced by Mr Willurd to extend the numoer of days' racing permissible under totahsator permits. We regard the kill as a suDtle attempt to undo tlii) gamming legislation oi the past year or two at tne behest of the racing cmbs, and in, view of tne enoTmous increase in the totalisator returns of the past 18 months it constitute a serious menace to the well-being-of the country"? (2) "On behalf of the Auckland Al.inii.ters' Aisociation, which represents 50,000 people in Hie provrke, we desire to enter a most emphatic protest against the legalisation" of premium bonds. The bonds have been declared by the Supreme Court and also by the Appeal Court to be a gamble, and tney are recognised as such the world over. We urge that financially and morally it would be a disastrous policy to legalise the Continental lottery in this country."

Some of the reasons which actuated the Ministers' Association in -the course they have taken were explained to a reporter by the Rev. Howard Elliott, "The Bill introduced by Mr Wilford," he said, "is in line with the many and continuous representations which have been made to the. Massey Government for a recission of the gambling legislation passed by the Liberal Administration, which was certainly a move in the right direction, Sir Joseph Ward agreeing wlien he was Minister _ that racing and the mousy spent in racing were growing out of all' proportion to the wealth of the community. The Racing Committee was set up with the instruction to reduce the numDer of race days to 250 per annum, which it did, allotting the various days as the distribution of population warranted. Ever since that time there has been a hue and cry for a reconsideration of those permits. The personnel of the Massey Ministry at tho time of its formation gave some of us serious concern. The presence of two of the leading racing men in New Zealand did not augur well for the interests that some of us have at heart. It is a remarkable fact that the first,deputation received by Mr Massey after assuming office was a deputation on this question, and probably he lias received more deputations on the subject of the extension of racing days than upon any other. The proposal of Mr Wilford's Bill would practically allow an unlimited number of days for racing, and under it we would soon be in a far worse position than we were prior to the recent gambling legislation. The Bill must be regarded as one of the most reactionary measures introduced into Parliament for some years, and any such proposals will meet witli the strongest opposition, not only from those who regard racing associated with gambling with suspicion, but also from those friends of racing who recognise that its existence in this country depends upon its proper restriction, control, and administration. If the Massey Government is to retain any of the confidence of the. people represented by our association there will have to be a* very marked alteration in its attitude on this question."

Referring to the question of premium bonds Mr Elliott said that the subtle device resorted to by Continental corporations or governments in offering large prizes a/3 an inducement to purchase their low interest bearing bonds appeared to have appealed successfully to the cupidity and foobshness of about 20,000 people in this country. " These bonds," he said, " have been stigmatised as a gamble. One legislator has designated them as the greatest sample oi the confidence trick ever brought into the country, and another as an insidious form of gambling. The courts have so declared it. The laws of this country prevent the circulation through the post of circulars for Continental lotteries, whereas tho country used a few years ago to be flooded with invitations to invest. We also endeavoured hy our legislation to prevent the operation of Tattersalls sweeps. in this country, and have tried to olean up the dominion by clearing out the bookmaker. Now* we have the spectacle of the same legislative body which has enacted these other reforms proposing to legalise the greatest ' confidence trick ' ever brought into this country. It would seem needless to comment on this, but it is to be remarked that the Bill has been introduced by an Auckland member (Mr Harris), and it is well that the Auckland people should express tlfeniGelves upon it."