WELLINGTON.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XVI, Issue 925, 28 November 1907, Page 7

WELLINGTON.

The Gambling Bill—Visitors to the Marlborough Meeting—The Feilding Meeting, WELLINGTON, November 27. Any doubt that existed as to the sincerity of the Premier’s declaration that it was his intention to pass the Gaming Bill into law this session has now been dispelled, and only the Governor’s assent is necessary to bring the Bill into operation. From inquiries made it seems probable that the Bill will be law ere these lines reach “Review” readers. The clause relating to the licensing of bookmakers to follow their calling on racecourses was only passed by a small majority. The anti-gambling section of the House and the partisans of the totalisator may be said to have effected a compro - mise rather than sacrifice the whole Bi’l. The question of bookmakers being licensed is, according to some high legal and racing authorities, still very doubtful. It is agreed that racing clubs have powei to license bookmakers, of good repute, but should the clubs absolutely refuse to recognise the bookmakers and decline to issue licenses there is nothing in the Bill affecting clubs in case of such refusal, and as no penalty Is imposed on racing clubs refusing to issue licenses it is held that they need not recognise the book maker in any form. The matter will, T understand, be quickly tested, as the bookmakers intend to apply for licenses to wager on racecourses immediately the Bill becomes law, and should racing clubs refuse the best legal assistance will be obtained and the issue settled. That the totalisator is not in disfavour with members of Parliament is evidenced from the fact that a motion by Mr. Remington to abolish the totalisator was only supported by 17 members (or about onefourth of the whole Parliament). It has long been recognised that only badlyinformed and misguided persons would support such a drastic suggestion as the suppression of wagering by the abolition of the totalisator, and now that Parliament has rejected a motion for the abolition of the totalisator and accepted a proposal to license bookmakers it must be obvious that horse-racing and wagering is not looked upon with disfavour by the majority of our law-makers, and no doubt if a plebiscite was taken the residents of this Dominion would by a large majority give their vote in favour of the totalisator and clean sport. Mr. Major, the member for Hawera, moved during the debate in the direction of having the bookmakers licenses issued only by metropolitan racing clubs as in the case of trainers and jockeys. The suggestion was, well supported, but the

Premier was understood to reply thar.'an--; Order-in-Council would regulate all such details. .-Mr;..Major’s: proposal has much J. to commend it, as if only men of good repute are (to be licensed the metropolitan clubs are best able to discriminate, and it is in the interest of the bookmakers themselves that only men 'with ■*a good record, be licensed : to wager; there is no question as to their being a number at present laying starting price that have evil records, and many country clubs might unwittingly issue licenses to such men. During the debate some amusement was caused by Mr. Jennings, the member for Egmont; relating as an instance of the honesty of bookmakers, an incident that occurred to him in his youthful day. He held (so he said) the winning ticket in a sweep got up in Dunedin by a man named Abrahams, whose agent in Auckland paid Mr. Jennings half the amount of the prize, some £4OO, and the same night shot himself. Mr. Jennings states that he communicated with the principal in Dunedin, and was paid the balance. It now transpires that it was a sweep promoter that the then youthful Mr. Jennings was dealing with, and the transaction was prior to legislation against sweeps. Mr. Jennings’ testimony was no doubt evidence of the integrity of the sweep promoter, and only goes to show that our law-makers would be abreast of public opinion were they to legalise Tattersail’s sweeps in this Dominion. Another amusing speech wa s that of the veteran M.H.R. and sportsman, Mr. John Stevens (now unfortunately afflicted with blindness). Mr. Stevens was speaking on

the clause which empowered magistrates to send a person convicted under the Gaming Act to gaol without the privilege of a trial by jury. The venerable sportsman characterised such a course as unfair and unsportsmanlike. He said sport had deteriorated since the days of his youth when, he, with other early settlers’ rode two-mile hurdle races over stiff 4-foot hurdles. Such races were then raced in heats for stakes of £7 lbs. The riders got no fees, and everything was for pure sport in such times. No man would be sent to gaol without being allowed a trial by a jury of his countrymen. As trial j ur y was not adopted Parliament probably agreed that the fringe of those following horseracing had reached a very low ebb. and were not to be compared with those who, with Mr. Stevens, risked their necks for pure love of the Sport of Kings. A section of the community most seriously affected by the Gaming Act is the unfortunate turf scribe, the prohibition against giving straight tips or in any ‘ way penning articles referring to probable winners of races will obviously have the effect of making it quite unnecessary for a newspaper to retain the services of writers of racing notes; and as the daily press will rely on the Press Association for the bare results of races the occupation of the turf sporting writer is clearly gone, and in Wellington one journal has thus early intimated to their sporting editor that his services are no longer required; others will no doubt follow suit. The Gaming Bill having quite overshadowed all other phases of racing during the past week racing news is at a discount. ' ' !

The local trainers, C. Pritchard, P. Coffey, F. Higgott and J. Lowe, made an excursion to the Marlborough Spring Meeting, and as Black Squall. Wharekura, Compass, Moata, and Numia, each won a race their trip must have proved a profitable one. But few local horses are assisting at the Feilding spring meeting. The Conqueror gelding William is the sole representative of the Porirua stable. W. Davies has Pardon and Ancyle still engaged in the hack events, but it is not certain that either will start at the meeting. Saga; Liberator, Wind and Penates are amongst the acceptors, and will probably be given a run at the meeting.