“GOOD FORM"

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 19992, 8 November 1927, Page 7

“GOOD FORM"

MR. GLENN ANNOYED NOT A FACTORY WITHOUT A BOOKMAKER (Special “Chronicle” Service.) WELLINGTON, Nov. 7. Because he says bookmaking cannot be prohibited successfully, but can be controlled, Mr V. H. Potter (Roskill) favours the licensing of bookmakers. “There is hardly a factory in New Zealand in which there is not a bookmaker,” declared Mr Potter, when tho Gaming Amendment Bill was before tho House to-night. “He is like a tomato. You can pick it and up they come again.” (Laughter). The bookmaker, however, added Mr Potter, could live on only one thin", and that was honour.

“There are more police trying to catch the bookmaker than anything else,” he proceeded, “and I don’t know how many are betting with him in trying to catch him.” (Laughter). Mr Speaker objected to this reference.

Mr Potter: “The member for Rangitikei (Mr W. S. Glenn) said that he betted with bookmakers, and was proud of it. If that was so, w r hy not legalise it!”

“This is going to be a 3J mile hurdle race uphill, and we have some of the best racehorses in New Zealand on our side, with five furlong horse* on the other side,” remarked Mr Potter, in opposing the progress of the Gaming Bill. “In the Shade (Mr Glenn’s horse) is going to have second place again.” (Laughter). Mr Glenn protested against Mr Potter’s reference to his association with bookmakers. What he (Mr Glenn) had said that night in replying to an interjection by Mr M. J. Savage, was that he was a racehorse owner and was proud of it. Mr Glenn said that if old Hansards were consulted he thought it would be found that he had admitted the soft impeachment of haying betted with bookmakers seven or eight years ago, but he had »ot done so recently. The member for Roskill, however, in his usual good form, had seen fit to %ay something which was contrary to fact and very unfair.