A NINEPENNY STATUTE.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXX, Issue 8993, 30 November 1907, Page 4

A NINEPENNY STATUTE.

The ways of the Government if not past finding out are at anyrate inexplicable. A reign of terror has been established by the putting into operation of the drastic Gaming and Lotteries Act before it is out of the printer's hands. No one knows exactly what are the provisions of the new law-*all that is known is that as regards the national sport, it encourages betting in one direct tion and penalises it in another; and that it is a terrible!offence for a newspaper to tip winners or publish "the odds" in connection with races. Yet no sooner are the Parliament doors banged upon members than the police and detectives are set dogging the steps ,of racing and other sporting authorities with a view to vindicating the majesty of an j unknown statute. At the Auckland Athletic Club's gaslight sports on Wednesday the detectives rolled up to see thatt betting did not take place, and succeeded in preventing it; but they permitted sweepstakes to be drawn because, said they, they, hadn't a copy of the Act to guide them. This is the way things official are done in'•'God's Own Country!" It would have been but decent to have, allowed the tew to remain in abeyance until the' Act was printed, and its contents made known through the press. We made an application to the Government printer early this week for a copy of the Act, so that we might enlighten our readers as to its provisions.', Foolishly we imagined that a copy would; hawe been promptly forwarded. But no>;: the Government printer could not let one out of his possession until he received ninepence ! The money haa been forwarded ; but meanwhile the people of Masterton are left in the dark as to Vhat the law demands of them„ and some may unwittingly commit a. breach of the statute, and suffer for their innocence and because of official density. Seeing that the Government never publishes the contents of an Act of Parliament, one would imagine ifc would at least afford: the press facilities for doing so.