READY-MONEY BETTING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20104, 21 May 1927, Page 11

READY-MONEY BETTING

PROPOSAL BEFORE THE LORDS. RESTRICTION OF CREDIT SYSTEM. (Press Awoolatioß—By Telegraph—Copyright.) LONDON, May 19. (Received May 20, at 5.5 p.m.) In the House of Lords Lord Newton, moving the second reading of the Betting Bill, which proposes to remove the ban on ready-money betting in offices, and to apply the betting tax to such wagers, expressed the opinion that the Bill would_ result in the discontinuance of street betting. The inconsistency and unfairness of the present law, he said, were continually commented upon. The system of office betting had proved highly successful in Ireland, and had resulted in the disappearance of street betting and a reduction in the volume of betting. Mr Churchill had said that he had a right to tax legal betting only; but undoubtedly bookmakers and backers who were within the law were being placed at a disadvantage compared with the law-breakers. He hoped that the Government would leave the Bill to a free vote of the House. Lord Hamilton, of Dalzell, said that the Jockey Club supported the Bill. Bookmakers who had been warned oil racecourses all over the country were at present licensed to carry on credit betting. Earl Russell moved the rejection of the Bill on the ground that it would increase betting. . , Lord Derby said that while the Jockey Club was removing welshcrs and swindlers from the racecourses the Government was licensing thorn. An attempt should be made to remove this grave scandaLord Plymouth said that when the betting duty was introduced it was explicitly made to legalise methods of betting which were then illegal. Public opinion over the subject of the introduction of the totalisator had been widely stirred, and the whole subject must be tackled sooner or later; but the betting law should not be fundamentally altered without more experience. The Government should allow a free vote. The Bill then passed its second reading by 44 votes to 23.—A.P.A. and S.S. Cable.