GAMING BILL

Southland Times, Issue 21178, 3 September 1930, Page 6

GAMING BILL

REJECTION URGED “RACE OF GAMBLERS BEING RAISED” UNITED CHURCHES PROTEST (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) Wellington, September 2. Strong objections to the' passing of the Gaming Amendment Rill .-and the issuing of further art union permits, were made by a deputation of about 60 persons from the United Committee of Churches which waited on the acting-Prime Minister (the Hon. E. A. Ransom) this morning. The deputation was introduced to the Minister by Mr W. Nash (L., Hutt) and three speakers put the position before Mr Ransom. Mr Ransom replied that Mr Forbes had promised- the sponsor of the Gaming Bill that it would be discussed by the House and he would honour that-promise. He also said that he would ask Cabinet to consider the art union question. ■ •' In introducing the deputation, Mr Nash said that it was representative of business men, women and the youth of the city. The purpose of the deputation was to persuade Mr Ransom as Leader of the Government to reduce facilities for gambling in the Dominion. First, they wanted the Gaming Bill now before the House to.be dropped if possible and secondly, they wanted as far as possible to restrict the issue of permits for art unions. Mr G. A. Troup, Mayor of Wellington, spoke regarding art unions and detailed the history of their having been permitted. They had originated in a desire to promote art in New Zealand, but had taken a much wider meaning and had grown to a great extent as an evil. They had grown so great in post-war years that the then Prime Minister (the Hon. J. G. Coates) had been asked to check them and had done so, but they had been revived as soon as the United Government took office. The deputation asked that they again be discontinued. The totalisator confined itself to racecourses and bookmakers had to do theft work under cover, but art . unions were free to advertise in every newspaper in the country and could place opportunities for gambling before the youths of the community. ‘‘We are raising a race of gamblers” he said. (Hear, hear); "Morale of Community Destroyed.” A further objection to art unions, Mr Troup continued, was that they destroyed the morale of the community regarding work. A man who looked to setting himself up by chance would not endeavour to do so by working and such men were not in keeping with the best interests of the community. .

Miss Mary McLean, • president of the Women’s Social League, spoke on behalf of the women and youths of the country and said that it was a tragic fact that pitfalls were continually being dug for unwary youths of the country by those who should be protecting them—the legislators. Protests had been heard from all over New Zealand and she dealt with these in detail, mentioning that one body had accused the Press of the country of being silent in the matter. The sturdiness of British character was being sapped, she added. The deputation wished to object to two features in the Gaming Bill, the publication of totalisator dividends and the transmission of totalisator bets by telegraph. If these measures were put into effect they would make it easier for people to gamble and would clearly tend to increase betting and domestic discord at the same time. Boys and girls would probably be sent to despatch their employers’ betting telegrams and would be induced to commence betting also. Mr L. Greenberg, secretary of the Wellington Y.M.C.A., dealt particularly with the Gaming Bill and the effect of gambling on the youth of the community. He submitted that , the country was not justified at any time or for any reason to increase facilities for gambling. Mr Ransom in Reply. Replying to the deputation, the actingPrime Minister said that the deputation would realize that the Gaming Amendment Bill was a private measure and so far as he knew it was not being supported by any particular party. He proposed to-, day to ask the House to allow Government business to take precedence on private members’ days, but apart from that an assurance had already been given that members who had private Bills in hand would be given an opportunity. Before the Prime Minister left New Zealand he gave an assurance to the promoter of Ihe Gaming Bill that the measure would be discussed and it was not his (Mr Ransom’s) intention to go back on that undertaking. He did not know when the Bill would come before the House, but it would be at a comparatively early date as it was not proposed to keep the House sitting very much longer. When the Bill was before the House members would have an entirely free hand in dealing with it. So far as the question of art unions was concerned he was prepared to again submit the matter to Cabinet at an early date for final decision. It had to be remembered, however, that those promoting art unions placed very strong reasons before the Government why permits should be granted. Mr Ransom also promised to discuss with the Minister of Internal Affairs the question of requiring art union promoters to publish balance-sheets. Mr Troup: Will you compel them to publish accounts in the newspapers? Dr. Gibb: Stop them altogether, sir.