GAMING AND LOTTERIES.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIC, Issue 13449, 22 November 1907, Page 6

GAMING AND LOTTERIES.

BILL BEFORE THE HOUSE. A DRASTIC 3IEASURE. Per Tress Association. WELLINGTON. Nov. 21. The House met at 11 a.m. In moving the second reading of the Gaming and Lotteries Act Amendment Bill, itlio Premier said that lie had seen manv cases -where young men had been ruined as a consecpitnes of the easy methods of betting on horse racing which tne j Bill proposed to abolish. Clauses 3 and 4 and 5 related to lotteries ■vvhic-h aie carried on outside Nov Zealand. Clause 6 provides that a constable who is now an offender under the law as it exists shall not be deemed an offender in regard to these matters, while in the execution of liis duty. The Premier read other elaures of the Bill, and explained that under the Bill it w;is proposed to confine: races to raceconrese. Clause- 29 prohibits an officer of a racing club accepting telegraphic instructions as, to investments on the totalisator. Clause 30 prohibits betting telegrams being ds-livered at a racecourse. Clause 31 prohibits advertisements as to betting on .horse races. The Premier added that in committee -he would move a new clause to prohibit the distribution, or posting up of any particulars (except on a racecourse), relating to betting. Mr Htrries said that gambling was a prevalent tvil. but whether the Bill would suppress the evil was open to doubt. He added tlrir. he agreed; with the general policy of the Bill, but would move certain amendments in committee. Mr Fisher said that lie- had an ame<ndment which would not interfere with the % progress of the Bill, but would give th*> House an opportunity of voting on • two is of opinion that the t:me has arrived •when tha Government should cease to participate in revenue from totalisator licenses ; (2) that the number of racing davs throughout the colony should be reduced. •Hie Premier said that if Mr Fisher desired to bill the Bill he had gone the lisrht way to do it. ~Mr Fisher said if that was so lve wou.d withdraw the amendment, provided similar amendments could be moved in committee. ' The Speaker ruled that this could be debate was proceeding "lien thy House adjourned at 1 o clock. On resuming at 2.50 p.m., Mr lisliero amendment, was negatived by 42 votes to nine votes. Mr W. Fraser contended that the Lm forced bookmakers on racing clubs, and -bookmakers were a, woise evil than the double totalisator. Mr Major said there was a contest between totalisator and bookmaker for the support, and patronage of the pub ic. and to gain his own ends the bookmaker had made an unholy alliance with another section which wa» represented in the Houu-o by Mr Poole. Mr Rutherford said that.if the Premier v.'ould amend clause 35 which provides that racing clubs authorised t"o use the totalisator ehall grant licenses to approved persons to carry on business as bookmakers, to read that >4 clubs may ii6ue licenses," the Bill would have his support. Mr Jennings thought the Bill should receive the support- of every member of the House o& it went a great, deal in the direction of grappling with what was admitted as a great- existing evil. The motion to go into committee w;i? carried by 50 vote* to two votes. Clause 2 describes a bookmaker "a person who carries on business as a bookmaker or turf commission agent, or who gains or endeavours to gain li.Ts iiveli- j hood wholly or partly by betting or making wagers." Mr Wilford moved to amend the clause by striking- out " betting cr making wagers " and substituting * laying the odds '" —Lest on the voices. On the motion cf Mr Hen-its bookmakers' clerks wtre included in the definition bookmakers. The definition "racing clubswas on the Premier's motion lixed as- " any club, association or body of persons, whether incorporated or unincorporated, established for the purpose of conducting or controlling the- eport of racing." Replying to Mr Wilfmd the Premier said that section 3 was intended to make the eale of Tattersall's tickets in Nenv Zealand ilkgal. The House adjourned at 5.30 p.m.. and resumed at 7.30 p.m. Clause 6 "No constable and no person acting under instructions from the superintendent- or inspector of police shall be deemed to be an offender or accomplice in committing any offence against- the Gaming Acts although such constable might but for this section be deemed such an offender or accomplice.""—Carried by 41 vott-s I <t s<-ven vou*. At clause 8 which makes betting by post, telegraph ir t'''phone M: Wilfnrd niovtd t-> strike* out the words "post <>r telegraph."—Negatived by 41 voto> to nine votes. The ekiusv pai;>-<-d unaltered. At clause- 10. Mr Wilfnrd mov'd to incieatr*' the senitEce for an oilencc to six months, so r.-s to admit of an offender electing to be-tried by a jury, as it was rnch an offend-.r had no thane-*- of ap ptaling to a jury, whereas a man on a, charge of indecent language had a light

to appeal to a jury. He pointed out that it" the sentence was increased above three months he could then elect- to go to a jury. Mr Stevens ivaid that- an offender under this Act was deprived of the rightlie would have if he committed a henious offence under another Act. He hoped the Premier would amend the clause. He. would support every clause that would minimise the gambling evil, but he declined to support any clause that deprived a poison of the right of trial by jury, even if he never occupied a seat in the Houses r.gain. ' ' The Premier said he was a believer in trial by jury, but tho position had notbeen correctly stated. There was under this Bill a right of appeal to a Supreme Court Judge. ill* Wilrord: " Ye.:, without evidence,, and no jury." The Premier said that if it was desired to make the whole clause worthless then the be:?t way was to give effect to Mr Wilford's proposal. Mr Massey supported Mr Wilford's amendment, as a man who was an offender should have the right of trial, by jury. Tliei amendment) was negatived by 28 votes to 24 votes. The clause was passed unamended. Clause 12 provides that for til© purposes of the Gaming Act; any house, office, room or place which would! -otherwise be a common gaming-house shall be deemed be a. common-gaming house notwithstanding the fact that it is open only for the use of subscribers or of members -or shareholders of any particular club, company, or corporation, and is not open to all persons desirious of using the same, provided this section shall not apply to any club holding a charter issued under the authority of the Licensing Act- 1881. Mr Herries moved an amendment to add the words '"or any club registered under the Unclpssifiecl Societies Registration Act 1895."—Rejected by 39 votes to 17 votes. The clause passed unamended. Clause 19 makes it an offence to be on premises declared to be a common gaming-house unless a'person proves that he was entering the premises ignorant that they had bean so declared, and subjects an offender to a. fine of not more than £IOO or imprisonment) for not' more than three months. Mr "Wilford moved to make the sentence six months to allow of an offender appealing to the jury. The amendment was by 31 votes to 22 votes.

The clause was agreed to on t-lie voices. Mr Herries moved a new sub-clause to provide that compensation shall be paid to the owner of premises which may be damaged by the police in gaining access to an adjoining gaming house, provided such owner proves that- he has no complicity with the gaming house.—Rejected by 30 votes to 24 votie. The Premier, replying to Mr A. L. D. Flaser, said that the Bill was introduced to meet the demands of the people of the country. The Government were responsible for the legislation, as they believed there was a necessity for it. He had not changed his mind in regard to the use of the telegraph wires, but- the Government considered betting should be confined to racecourses. As PostmasterGeneral he had never discriminated about bookmakers or anyone ele-e in regard' to using the wires for their business, as the te'.egraph facilities were piovided for the general u?e of the public. Mr Wilford moved to strike out clause 51, which prohibits the publication of betting in regard to horse-races, and also prohibits publication as to investments on lhe totalisator. Mr Wilforcl withdrew his amendment. On the Premier's motion the publication of seal ting prices was prohibited. The Premier also moved to prohibit -any information as defined by clause 31 being publicly exhibited. This was agreed to. A new sub-clause was added to exempt, any newspaper published out of New Zealand from the provisions of the clause. The clause as . amended passed. At clause 32 which prohibits double batting on the totalisator, Mr Remington moved to prohibit the use of the totalisator altogether. ! Hie. Premier said that if this was carried the Bill would not pass. In reply to Mr Lewis the Premier said he did not intend this to mean that- he would dron the Bill if tha amendment was carried. On a. division the amendment was rejected by 37 votes to 17 votes. (Left sitting at 2 a.m.)