ABSURD LEGISLATION.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 46, Issue 14127, 27 May 1920, Page 4

ABSURD LEGISLATION.

The attempt which is being made by the Government to grapple with gambling, and especially the legalised form, per* medium of the totalisator, is ludicrous in the extreme. Some antiquated individuals who probably did not know the difference between a mule and a motor car, decided during one of their frequent spells of ultra-idiocy, that dividends should not be published in the press. The newspapers thereupon attached the order of favouritism before the names of horses in a race. Now it is announced that this even cannot be allowed. The announcement that dividends wore not to be published in the press resulted in a considerable increase in gambling, because it drove followers of racing to the bookmakers, who had an elaborate scheme for securing knowledge of the‘ dividends for all the principal race meetings in the Dominion. The deletion of tho order of favouritism will no doubt .drive more, “sports” into tho arms of the bookmaker. Those .who are opposed to gambling in this country should ask the Government:...officials who are framing our, alleged anti-gamb-ling legislation are not really aiming at Increasing gambling, especially in rearard to racing'. One thing is very .■o'rtaiu, and ih&J is that tire legislaj•, j, •whit:!, has been brought into operation in recent wears' for the purpose of sirrces-rhig gamming has had the opposite effect. Not only lias gambling connected with the race course increased considerably, but the legislation to suppress the bookmaker has resulted in the number of “wool-brokers” in this Dominion increasing to an alarming extent.