HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 6240, 17 May 1888, Page 4

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

Wednesday, May 16. AFTERNOON SITTING. The House met at 2.80. LEAVE OP ABSENCE. Leave 0? absence for a week was granted to Mr J. B. Whyte, and for a month to Sir J . Vogel, on urgent privat3 business. QUESTIONS. Mr T. Thompson asked the Government if they will, during the present session, briug in a Bill to amend the Gaming and Lotteries Act, with a view to either abolishing the use of the totalisator at race meetings, or restricting ita use. Sir H. Atkinson siv.d the question waa 6till under the consideration of the Government. He hoped the question would bo deoidod in a day or two. Mr Hutchison asked the Premier ii the . Ministry have considered whether, under the Civil Service Aot, 1868, those officera whose services have b°en dispensed with, bub whoso former offices have noc been abolished, are entitled to compensation. Sir H. Atkinson said no new interpretation had been put upon the Act, bub if any particular oases were brought before him, he should consider them. In no case had an officer been displaced in the Police ! Department and another one appointed in I his place. ! Mr Seddon moved the adjournment of tho House. He censured the Government for having dismissed Inspectors Shearman, James and Buckley. Sir H. Atkinson said the Government would not be drawn into a debate on the question of retrenchment at present. They would ha quite ready to defend their action when the proper time arrived. Mr Hutchison hoped that before that debate came on tho Government would obtain tho opinion of the Crown Lav.- officers as to their action in dismissing those officers. Mr Seddon asked the Premier i£ the Government would, in tbe event ot' an Intercolonial Conference bc.iajj hold en the Chinese question, take titeps to have New Zealand represented at such Conference. Sir H. Atkinson said he had already stated that the New Zealand Government would be represented on thi3 Conference, if it were found impracticable to obtain tho treaty in question, which he had referred to a-i tho* previous day'ti sit-iing. Mr Seddon asked tbc Ptemior if "the Government this session intend to introduce any measures dealing with local government reform, particularly as regards reduction in the number of local bodies and enlarging tha powera of those that remain.' THE TOTALISATOR. Mr Beetham moved — "That in tho opinion of this Houno it is desirable,tbat Government should introduce u measure during the. present session providing that' a, proportion of the earnings of totalisators and theatrical'companie3 should be by Act appropriated for the purposes of Hospitals and Charitable Aid." He did not claim any originality as regards the totalisator question, as it wag introduced in the Council last year by the Hon Mi- Hart. The amount expended by totalisatcrs in the Colony was, he believed, .£500,000 or .£600,000 » year, and a Bum of 2 per cent levied on tho earnings .of tho totalisator would realise MlQfiOO. With regard to theatrical companies, he thought a etamp of one penny or twoponce on theatrical tickets would not press very hard on afiybody. He had no desire to prevent theatrical companies visiting the Colony because they exorcised in many cases a good influence, but he thought his proposal was a feasible one. It worked very well in Paris and other places on the Continent of Europe. Mr, Goldie strongly supported the motion. Mr Fibh approved of the motion, but should not support any tax on the theatrical companies, aa that would havo the effect either of preventing those companies coming to the Colony at all, or of making a considerable increase in the priced charged for amusement3, which would presa very hard oa the working classea. He thought a great mistake had been made when the totalioators were legalised. Ho thought 5 per cent of the earnings of the totalisator elioald bo levied instead of 2 per cent, aa proposed by tho mover of the motion. Mr Fraser would also support that part of the motion relating to the tofcalisator, but ho should certainly oppose any tax on theatrical companies. Mr Lance * defended the totalisator system, and eaid there wao no fraud in connection with it. Mr Samuel disagreed wifch the proposal to put auy tax on theatrical companies, as many oi those companies made very little profits in 'the Colony. Ho did not think 'it wise to abolish the totalieatpr, and therefore he should support the first part of the motion. Mr Fulton moved to amend the motion by inserting the worda " That tha totalisator be abolished." Ho was opposed to gambling iu every shape or forra, and was certainly opposed to its being legalised by the Parliament of tho Colony. Mr Withy supported the amendment. He fslb satiaSed that gambling by the totalisator had been made comparatively respectablo, and that a, largo number ot young men were drawn into the pursuit at present. Mr Hutchison aoked the HOU3O to pause before committing themselves on thia question, as it was absurd to popularise 'the 'totalisator by raising funds from it.

He thought they should raise funds from church bazaars as well as from totalisatora. Dr Newman supported the motion, and protested against such a large number of Tace meetings being held all over the Colony. Dr Fitchett strongly opposed the motion, and said the totaluator minimised the evil of gambling. Mr Hobbs wa3 not sure that the amen<?ment proposed would' meet the case. He •was surprised the Government had not led the House on such an important matter. Although he sympathised with the member for Tai«ri iu his amendment, he thought it would not effect the object in view. Mr Keek thought it would be a very wroug thing to abolish the totalisator at country meetings. His opinion was that the bi-j meeting tried to swallow tho little ones. He denied that there was any amount o£ dishonesty connected with the totalisator. Mr Fish could not support <&e amendment, although, having great sympathy with it. Mr Allen did not like cither the motion or the amendment, because they were only fihufiling out of tho difficulty. He did not believe that anything like the amount stated was earned by the totalisator, as money went through the machine over nnd over again. In bis epir.ion there were many other things whu-.U .ould be taxed before theatrical amusements, which were often very instructive aa well as amusing. He did not think either the motion or the amendment would get rid o£. the difficulty of gambling. He would rather have seen the Government propose some measure dealing with the whole question of gambling. Mr Hodokinson heartily supported the amendment. Mr Levestam opposed both resolution and amendment. Mr O'Connor supported the motion as a means of giving revenue to the Colony. Mr Dodson would vote against both j motion and amendment, biit he held that totalisatora had done good work in abolishing bookmakers. Mr Fulton's amendment was then put and lo3t by 45 to 11. Mr Feldwick moved to omit the words "theatrical companies" from the motion. Mr Beetham accepted this amendment, which was carrisd on the voices. Tho motion as amended was then put, v.'ben Mr Taylor rose to speak to it, and was interrupted by the 5.30 adjournment.