THE TOTALISATOR.

Otago Witness, Issue 1905, 25 May 1888, Page 24

THE TOTALISATOR.

In the House of Representatives on Wednes* day of last week, Mr BEETHAM moved — "That, in the opinion of this House, it is desirable that the Government should introduce a measure during the present session providing that a proportion of the earnings of totalisators and theatrics companies should be by act appropriated fer the purposes of hospital and charitable aid. He did not claim any originality as regards the totalisator question, as it was introduced in the Council last year by the Hon. Mr Hart. The amount expended on totalisators in the colony

was, he believed, £500,000 or £600,000 a year, and a sum of two per cent, levied on the earn- : ings of totalisators would realise £1000. As to , theatrical companies, he thought a stamp of one penny or' twopence on theatrical tickets would not press very hard on anybody. He had no desire to prevent theatrical companies visiting the colony, because they exercised in many cases a good' influence, but he thought his proposal was a feasible one, and it worked very well in Paris and other places on the Continent of Europe. ' ■ , ' , Mr GOLDIE strongly supported the motion. Mr FISH approved of the motion, but should not support any tax on theatrical companies, as that would have the effect of either preventing ' those companies coming to the colony at all, or of making a considerable increase in the prices ' charged for amusements, which would press very hardly on the working classes. He thought a great mistake had been made when tbtalisators were legalised. He thought something 'more than two per cent, should be levied as proposed by the mover of motion. Mr FRASER would also support that part of the motion relating to the totalisator, but should certainly oppose any tax on theatrical companies. ' Mr LANCE defended the totalisator system, and said there was no fraud in connection with it. - ' Mr SAMUEL disagreed with the proposal to pnt any tax on theatrical companies, as many of these companies made very little profits in the colony. He did not think it wise to abolish the totalisator ; therefore he should support the first part of the motion. Mr FULTON moved to amend the motion by inserting' the words " that the totalisator be abolished." He was opposed to gambling in every shape or form, and was certainly opposed to its being legalised by the Parliament of the country. . Mr WITHY supported the amendment. He felt satisfied that gambling by the totalisator had been made comparatively respectable, and that a large number of young men were drawn into it at present. Mr HUTCHISON asked the House to pause before committing themselves to this question, as it wa<? absurd to popularise the totalisator by raising funds from it. He thought they should raise f unds^f rom church bazaars as well as from totalisators. Dr NEWMAN supported the motion, and protested against such a large number of race meetings being held all over the colony. Dr FITCHETT strongly opposed the motion, and said that the totalisator minimised the evil of gambling. Mr HOBBS was not sure that the amendment proposed would meet the case. He was surprised Government had not led the House in such an important matter. Although he sympathised with the member for the Taieri in his amendment, he thought it would not effect the object in view. Mr KERR thought it would be a very wrong thing to abolish the totalisator at country meetings. His opinion was that it was the big meetings that tried to swallow the little ones. He denied that there was any dishonesty connected with the totalisator. Mr FISH could not support the amendment, although having gf eat sympathy with it. Mr ALLEN did not like either the motion or amendment, because they were only shuffling out of the difficulty. He did not believe that anything like the amount stated was earned by totalisators, as the money went through the machine over and over again. In his opinion there were, many other things which should be taxed before theatrical amusements, which were often very instructive and amusing. He did not think either the mofion or amendment would get rid of the difficulty of gambling. He would rather have seen the Government propose some measure dealing with the whole question of gambling. Dr HODGKINSON heartily supported the amendment. Mr LEVESTAM opposed both resolution and amendment. Mr O'CONOR supported the motion as a means of giving revenue to the colony. Mr DODSON would vote against both motion and amendment, but he held that totalisators had done good work in abolishing bookmakers. Mr Fulton's amendment was then put and lost by 45 to 11. Mr FELDWICK moved to omit the words "theatrical companies " from the motion. Mr BEETHAM accepted this amendment, which was carried on the voices. — The motion as amended was then put. In the House on Thursday, Mr TAYLOR resumed the interrupted debate on the question, " That in the opinion of this House, it is desirable that the Government should introduce a measure during the present session providing that a portion of the earnings of totalisators should be by Act appropriated for the purposes of charitable aid." The motion was agreed to by 50 to 13.