BETTING LAWS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20476, 30 November 1934, Page 13

BETTING LAWS.

Important Changes Likely Next Year. LEGAL BOOKMAKING ? (Special to the ** Star.’’) 1 WELLINGTON, This Day. ( .There is every possibility of the t Gaming Amendment Bill, which has been passed by the Legislative Council, becoming law when the House of Representatives reassembles in February. The measure proposes to establish the . double totalisator and to permit the publication of dividends. It is anticipated that when the Bill • comes before the House a section of i members, while supporting the Bill, will endeavour to have inserted an amendment providing for the licensing of bookmakers. There will be a surprising amount of support for this amendment. The conditions proposed are similar to those now operating in South Australia, where the safeguards ; imposed have met with the entire approval of the Commissioner of Police, J while from the financial aspect the ( Treasury returns have been far greater ( than was ever anticipated. The Bill, as it now stands, was intro- ■ duced in the Upper House by the Hon E. R. Davis, a well-known Auckland sportsman. Twelve months ago a simi lar measure, with an added provision for telegraphing bets, was introduced in the House of Representatives by Mr , E. F. Healv (Government, Wairau) but an effort by the Prime Minister (Mr Forbes) to have urgency accorded to the measure, which meant its passage at one sitting, was rejected by a majority of two votes. The Bill was then withdrawn. On that occasion, while the proposal to permit telegraphic betting would > have met with strong opposition, the ! other clauses had a chance of being passed, for a count of heads revealed a majority in its favour. The effort of the Prime Minister to accelerate it was ; a mistake, for other members who had private Bills were decidedly annoyed at preference being given to the Gaming Bill, and consequently voted against it being accorded urgency.