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limited in that betting-houses were prohibited by the Act of 1881, whilst the laying of totalizator odds and dealing in totalizator tickets had been prohibited by the Gaming and Lotteries Amendment Act, 1894. 39. In this state of affairs the Gaming and Lotteries Amendment Act, 1907, was introduced into the House of Representatives as a Government measure by Sir Joseph Ward. The whole measure seems to have been contentious to the uttermost degree. The opposition to it disclosed another example, despite the divergent ultimate objects which they sought to achieve, of an alliance between the bookmakers and those .opposed to gambling. 40. From the reports of the debate on the Bill it would seem that, all the members of the House were of opinion that gambling had become unduly prevalent throughout the country. Even those who approved of betting on races were disposed to concur in some action having a general tendency acceptable to those opposed to gambling in any form. From this limited concurrence of view, and despite the essential conflict of opinion which existed between various factions, a conviction seems to have developed that it was in the public interest that all betting on races should be confined exclusively to the racecourses. This conviction concurs with the views expressed by the House of Lords Committee in 1902, but seems to have been reached independently in New Zealand. 41. The purpose of the Gaming and Lotteries Amendment Act, 1907, was to give effect to this conviction of the legislators. As a means of achieving its objective the Act prohibited all street betting under the sanction of heavy penalties, " street " being very comprehensively defined. The Act also provided that no money or valuable thing received by any bookmaker contrary to the street-betting provisions should be recoverable at the suit of the person from whom they were received. Betting on sports-grounds and in factories was prohibited. " Ground " was also very comprehensively defined as including "any land, building, room, or place, whether public or private, to which any persons are admitted either at all times or only at certain times, whether on payment of an entrance fee or charge or otherwise, for the purpose of taking part in or of witnessing any sports." " Sports " were defined as almost every form of athletic contest or other game known to the legislators. Racing clubs and their officials were prohibited from accepting telegraphic or telephonic instructions as to investments. Telegrams were not to be delivered to the racecourse. The publication of dividends, except upon the racecourse, was prohibited. The use of a doubles totalizator was prohibited. In every way and by every means the legislation proposed to confine betting to racecourses. Incidentally, and for the first time in the history of the Dominion, " bookmaker" was defined. The definition was later amplified and extended by section 8 of the Gaming Amendment Act, 1920.
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