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New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 692, 11 June 1903, Page 14

A London paper says that one of those periodical attacks on die sporting interest which i the Unco’ guid ’’ have a predilection for was I directed about the end of April against the pur- ■ veyor of some journals devoted to the discussion of Turf affairs. It seems that the Country Council not long since drew up and passed certain by-laws, having for their aim restriction of the sale of racing publications in the streets, by which it is sought to make it a penal offence to sell papers “ wholly or mainly devoted to giving information as to the probable result of horse races.” The. point was first verv righty taken that the by-law is bad, on the ground that it is unreasonable and not warranted by the statue, and on that the Magistrate reserved’his decision’ which has not been announced at the time of writing. It is a i ery good thing chat the case has been strenuously defended, at the Country Council have certainly been rather too free with their by-laws in this direction. They have passed one making betting in the streets a penal offence and they have, moreover, taken frequent action upon it- Nevertheless, there is little doubt that this latter by-law is altogether bad in law, as it it not warranted by the statue, and Parliament has not delegated to Country Councils the right to create new offences. That betting accompanies horse racing has nothing to do with the right of racing Publications to forecast probable results of horse races. Horse racing and betting are both perfectly legal in themselves, though betting debts are irrecovable at law. That betting follows horse racing is a mere accident of circumstances; and to endeavour to ' suppress bona-fide Turf journals on that account looks very much like an attempt to restrict the l.berty of the Press.