Untitled

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIII, Issue 1854, 7 September 1906, Page 3

paigna against tho msohtno, tho Lyttolton Times, Auckland Wookly Nows, Auckland Star 110 mentioned, too, tho I'otnno Cbroniolo and Wairnrapo Chronicl'.’, which refuse to publish all gambling sntolligonoD. Ho dctailod tho numorous oitios of laritniu which would not permit such things on their public tables. He claimed that tho into Hi Hon. tho Premier had agreed with him in condomning tho muohino. Ho exposed tho illogicalities of our antigambling I -wa. Mr McLachlan thought tho han. momber who hid just sat down was undottak ing a task boyond his strength, ilowovor, ho sympathised with him. Gambling was not ono of his vices. Ho would support tho i 3.11.

Mr Hotrles congratulated tho movor on .ho moderation with which ho did his work, Ho thought if bis friend would go aud sao ajmo of tho nice ineotings ho would ohango his wind. Ho could toll him that tho totalisator increased tho stakes for raoiug, aud found tho moans for improving tho grandstands, eto. Was his f iend prepared to swoop that away '? Ho as-i r d him that his orporionoo was that tho tote enabled tho racing authorities to ketp tho epo:t oloancr and puror. Tho sport was a thing to oonsidor as froo from all mercenary motives, l'or his own part bo kuew nothing so exhilarating and onjoyablo as to soo a woll-oontostod finish between two Goo horses, suoh for example as ho bad seen lately at Auckland, between Seahorse and Explosion. Surely tho hon. gentlrmin would not go so far as tj abolish racing, and racing would bo im possible withou; gambling of s’liiii k'.ud, and the tote provided the least o: j'O.iot'ab o m thod. Many of tho o.vums did not patronise tho maehino at ali. Tncy foo.no tho stakes sutlioient. Ho agreed that batting had greatly iuoreased of late yoats. but no ouo could say that was duo to tho totalizator. Gambling had iuoreased in j othor countries where thorn was no totali sa'or, as was shown by tho B shop of Ho oford’a oommittoo in tho House of Lords. That oommit’eo found at the asms lime that the hotting on the part of raoehorso owners had greatly diminished. It was not tho maohino that was at tho botttom of tho ovi l . He urged the hon. gentleman to join with tho racing dubs a-id help them to free raoiug from tho team of tho turf. If tho bon. g ntleman would show him eomo form oi hotline rnoro easily controlled ho would join h,m against tho totali-ator. Ho regardo.d his hoc. friond as a turf reformer. Ho liked his objecion to tho telegraph ollije and tho publication of gambling news by tho newspapers. He would warn him at tho same time that the gambling habit canmt bo e iminated, as tho above cominittoo had found The oaly possible alternative to the clean and honest totalisator was tho disrcpuiablo system with whioh tho book mskoris associated. He remembered the pro totalisator days when tho bookmaker was in oommand, and he did not want to see that state of things again. The number of bookmakers to tho population was far greater then than it was now, aud racmg was la-s clean aud less under control. Mr Rutherford carried on the debate till 9.30, when the Speaker left tho chair for the eupper adjournment. Mr Rutherford resumed at 10 o’oloek. Tho Speaker’s attention was oa'lcd to tho state of the House, and the House being oounted, the Speaker deolared a quorum. Mr Fisher called the Speaker’s attention to the faot that th 9 hon. member who had called attention to the stato of the House hsd left the House. The Speaker ruled that when an hon. member oalls a'tention lo the state cf tho House be is counted as present, whether h 9 is present or not. Mr Rutherford, continuicg, moved the adjournment of tho debate. The Speaker ruled that it was not open to him to do so so. Mr Hannan supported the Bill. He di,approved of gambling in any shape. Ho u’ged the House to minimise tbe gambling evil by every means in its power. Ho asked for a straight out vote. Mr Sidey dwelt on tho ovils of tbe totalisator, which oalLd for a drasto remedy. Mr Davey moved the adjournment of the del.ate. Mr Poole opposed the motion, which was lost bj 27 to 34. Mr Jennings supported (ho Bill, urging that rsci m eiingi are too numerous. Mr Witty opposed the Bill, the proper romrdy being to redues tbe numb rof m-ctinge. Tbe bookmaker evil would be w orsc. Voices interrupted : "The bookmakers are here now.” Mr Witty said that they wore no* so numerous as they used to be. There were he continued, worse forms of gambling than the totalisator, which was not responsible for tbeinersaso of gambling, and they were more worthy of the attention of Par* liamont for an example of much m’sehief. Mr A. L. D. Fraser denied the charges of the hon membor for Obrisiohurch that the Jockey Club 3 had asked for telegraph and telephone offioes at their meetings. The faot was that, finding these conveniences detrimental to the purity of racing, the c’ubs had objected to these conveniences. The Postmaster-General hid for reasons wh'ch he would not find fault with dreided to aupply them, if not on the course, then in the neighborboo 1. He went on to advocate the reduction of total- j isator permits, so as to curtail the number of the evil class of persons who hive brought the machine into disrppote. Mr Fisher moved an amendment that the second reading should be taken on the 26th inst, and that provision be included fjr reducing the number of totalisator peimits by one half until the totalisator is abolished. He hoped the member in cha-ge would accept. Me Dtvey opposed the 6msndmeDt, and supported the Bill. Tho amenlmsuS was carried : Ayes 23, noes 37, Bnd the words “ the Bill bo now read a second time’’ were struck out. Oo the motion to aid the words 11 Pro* p gad to be substituted,” the Home divided agaimt their iusertioQ by 29 to 35, and the Bill was lost. The House adjourned at 11,55,