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New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IV, Issue 176, 7 December 1893, Page 4

Under the headings, • A Tyrannical Measure,’ ‘ Morality Run Mad,’ and ‘An Anti-Betting Crusade,’ the Melbourne Sportsman of the 28th ult., writes of a bill which was introduced into the N.S.W. Legislative Assembly • on Nov. 24th, having for its object the prevention of betting of any kind on any sport or pastime, not only in rooms or clubs, but upon racecourses. The bill, it appears, was introduced by a private member, Mr E. M. Clark, and according to the journal quoted it is said the measure will receive substantial support from the ministerial side of the House and from the labour party. The bill provides for even more drastic measures than those contained in the Postage Amendment Act of 1893, so as to prevent postmen carrying letters addressed to sweep promoters inside or even outside the colony, and to block up any other loop holes which have been discovered in the Act since it was passed. ‘ This beautiful bill (says our contemporary) makes it an offence to be found loitering within 100 yards of any betting shop, so that a man looking in a shop window may be marched off to gaol if the window is

within 100yds of a betting house. In like manner a man, or, for that matter, a woman, waiting on the sidewalk for a tram or a ’bus may be similarly dealt

with. The bill aims at' the absolute sup- • pression of betting of any sort and the complete extinction of the bookmaker. It is made an indictable offence to gamble in any form, and the penalties are no mere light ones. For a first offence is prescribed, for a second £\oo, and for every subsequent offence a fine of at least £ 100, with imprisonment for six months Betting either in cash or on credit, by any person in any building or other place on a horse race or other sporting event is absolutely prohibited. All racecourses, stands, and clubs are defined as public places ; people are prohibited from calling out the odds, and bookmakers’ clerks as well as their principals are placed under ban.’

The framer of this sweeping measure has taken the hint supplied by the police action in Adelaide, and makes special provision for putting down betting in clubs, power being given constables to demand admittance at any time for the purpose of ascertaining whether betting is being carried on. Such a bill could only emanate from a rabid extremist, destitute of any spirit of toleration or fair play. Mr Clark must be moral to the verge of spiritual perfection. Perhaps he is ; but he will find the people of N.S.W. are not so far advanced in their march towards absolute virtue. The mushroom growth of swindling totalisator shops in Sydney certainly calls for some legislative restriction ; but fanatical measures such as the one Mr Clark has brought into being will not effect reform. In so far overshooting the mark he will probably alienate the sympathies of members who are willing that the fungus which at present adheres to the racing body should be swept off. As long as the British race run horses there will always be more or less speculation, and revolutionaries of the Clark type may as well try to put the Atlantic into a garden watering pot as to extinguish the people’s desire to ‘ back their fancy.’

‘ln the construction of this Act the words “ sport, game, pastime or exercise ” shall mean any boat-race, cricket match, football match, bicycle race, footrace, walking match, trials of strength, sparring and boxing match, and shooting contest.’ Mr Clark is careful to enumerate all the foregoing departments of sport where betting may be carried on; but where is the Sydney legislator’s consistency ? He makes no mention of Stock Exchange and church raffle gambling. You buy stock expecting it to rise and plunge your hand into a lucky bag, firmly praying that you may bring out something worth more than the money paid for the ‘ dip.’ If the racing ‘ dip ’ is to be abolished, why not that of the Exchange and church bazaar ? The clause empowering policemen to search any place where they think betting is going on is one which reflects great credit upon the brainy Sydney parliamentarian. Two constables have only to swear, before they enter, that they have reason to believe gambling is being practised in a certain place, after which the club or private house is open to their curious gaze. A nice power, truly, to place in the hands of two men who may thus violate the privacy of any gentleman’s residence J or the purpose of gratifying private spite. Without wishing to throw r discredit upon a body of men who as a rule carry out their difficult duties in a fair and impartial manner, we must remember that the game of blackmail has before now been tried on by the black sheep of the police force —a case occurred recently in Victoria—and what has been done before may be attempted again. It is not difficult to imagine a time when it would be inconvenient for a private house to be subject to police scrutiny, ‘ A suspected betting house ’ is the term used in the Act to designate the place liable to the entry of the police. The four words quoted could cover a multitude of places and conditions, and give the police, a power which could be used in the most despotic fashion. The Sydney Parliament has done some erratic things in its time; but its members will surely have too much sense to allow such an absurd measure to become law.