CARD TOURNAMENTS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18273, 16 December 1933, Page 5

CARD TOURNAMENTS

FUNDS FOR CHARITY LEGALISING MEASURE NO UNDUE RESTRICTIONS ( Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. The long-desired privilege of conducting card tournaments for other than monetary prizes is to be given school committees and other organisations concerned in charitable purposes. The Regulation of Card Tournaments Bill, introduced by Governor’s Message in the House last night, was described by the Minister of 'Justice', the lion. J. G. Gobbe, as, a - very simple one-clause measure. It would make legal the liold-ing-of card.tournaments fot tlie purpose of providing funds for school committees and similar charitable purposes. Money prizes would dot be 'permitted, but the bill would allow trophy prizes up to tlui, value of £l, The bill, he said, was on the same lines as that introduced by the member for Wellington youth, and had been extended to give some authority to the police. It, was not intended to harass committees, but to give sufficient authority to see that no games were being held purely for profit. Mr. K. Me Keen (Lab., Wellington S.): Will they have to make application for license? The, Minister: One application will do for Six' months. The police have power to inspect to see that tin* law is not broken. Mr. Mi-Keen: A Merry Christmas to you. - That is very good; The bill makes it necessary for persons conducting a tournament to give not less than seven days’ clear notice to the nearest, police station 'of the time and place fixed for the tournament, together with details, and purposes to which it was intended the proceeds should,be devoted. Provision is also made Tor an audited statement of receipts and payments to be presented, if requested by an inspector of police. It is not necessary to give details, etc., more than once with respect to tournaments extending over a period of not more than six mooths. Tlje opus of proving that tournaments have been held within tffo requirements imposed by the bill is placed on the person conducting the tournament, and any constable is authorised to visit premises where a tournament is being held.