HONG KONG DAILY PRESS, FRIDAY, OCTOBER 17, 1930.
EVILS OF CASH SWEEPSTAKES.
ATTORNEY-GENERAL ON THE FREQUENT ABUSES OF THE TICKET SYSTEM.
GOVERNOR SATISFIED THAT LEGISLATION IS ONLY REMEDY: NO QUESTION OF PRIVILEGE TO JOCKEY CLUB,
STRONG BUT UNAVAILING APPEAL FOR RECONSIDERATION.
Unoficial members mado a strong appeal to the Legislative Council for reconsideration
of the limitations set on the sale of sweep tickets in Hong Kong when the second reading of the Ordinance to amend the Gumbling Ordinance came up for discussion yesterday.
The Hon. Attorney-General recited a long series of evils and abuses attached to the present system and pointed out that all sorts of places in the Colony were used for the sale of these tickets.
The Hon. Dr. R. H. Kotowall, in the course of his speech, stated that numerous repre sontations have been received from social and sporting clubs pointing out that the regulations would prevent them from running aweopstakes at all. Dr. Kotowall said that the membership of the Jockey Club being necessarily limited, any special advantage accorded to it by law would be enjoyed by only a comparatively small number of people.
In supporting Dr. Kotewall, tho Hon. Mr. J. P. Brago said that there had never been any flagrant case of a breach of the special privilege which many well regulated cluba previously eu- joyed. As regards the Jockey Club, Mr. Briga said he felt sure that there could be no" dog-in-the-manger " attitudo with them and he would be surprised if the stewards wol) not in whole-hearted agreement with the proposed amendment.
His Excellency the Governor and that the Government felt compelled to issuo conditions which would minimize the evils which have oxisted in the past. There was no question of any special privilege to the Jockey Club.
DR. KOTEWALL'S AMENDMENT IN COMMITTEE DEFEATED.
Abuse of Privilege.
HON. MR. J. P, BRAGA,
The Hon. Mr. J. F. Braga, in further support of Dr. Kotowall, anid:
No Special Privilege." There is no intention to give any special privilege to the Jockey Clubs that poins seems somewhat mis understood. The fact that they are allowed to sell tickets on the dato of the races in a matter which tho Police think and feel they can ade- quately deal with. The sale at the
Your, Excellonoy, I have pleasure in supporting the speach of the honourable Chinese members on the suggested amendment of the Bill. In doing so, I have a fow remarks to address to the Council so as to make my position clear as regards course does not lend itself to the the Hong Kong Jockey Club, to evils attached to the ticket-issuing which reference was made by my ayatom in somo private clubs where honourable Chinose friends. My retouting and other arrangements ference will be'mado inter,
As regards race-sweeps it in a matter of common knowledge that in the Colony, as elsewhere, for a number of years the privilege had been granted to a limited number. of recognised clubs and associations of standing of running cash swOOPE in connection with pony racing in Hong Kong, under well-defined restrictions and. limitations vory properly and 'adequately imposed by the Police Department.
carrying a fee and commissions aro entered into, and whero tickets aro sold anywhere and everywhers in the Colony, to all sorts of people, high and low.
The same trouble happened in Malaya where coolies of the lowest class would buy tickets and it simply, had to stop. There the turf As far I am aware, there hassle of tickets in their own pre- clubs volunteered to restrict the never been any flagrant cano of a breach of this,, special privilege. mines on the same lines as we are This happy state of things is ex- trying to introduce here, that is plainable. The fact is that in
almost every case the committee of the sale is to be on the course these associations are mixed and along. That minimizes a great deal composed of both the older and of the abuses. With a view to re- younger members of the respective
Bacietics on whom the self-imposed ducing the abuses which undoubted. duty has been observed to zealouslyly exist the Government feel com comply with the Polico regulations.pelled to introduce this measure. It is moved that the Bill to amend the Gambling Ordinance bo the read a second time,"
Further Discussion. When the house went into com-
Integrity of Clubs. Moreover, it has been in the in terest of such associations to main. tain the honesty and integrity of their clubs, and the few raco lotteries are invariably conducted without reproach. But for this the Bill at the last meeting of this scrupulous regard for honcat deal-mittee, the following clause came Council, atated that there had beening, these race lotteries could nover in for some further discussion: many instances in this Colony and have enjoyed the public confidenco which, I think, the associations can elsewhere of rival claimants to as winning, ticket, and that there had clair for them. In no case do the been one case at least in which thoro proceeds of the lottorics find their had been no claimant to the winning way into the pockets of individual ticket, so that the club got the the maintenance and upkeep of the members. They are allocated for benefit of both its percentage, and An exception is inade in the case the money which should otherwise social and recreative sides of the of sale of tickets on the course to have been distributed to the sub-clubs' activities. The majority of the members are men of small persons attending a race meeting scribers. I, cannot see how a because, it is felt that such persons system requiring members or sub-means. They are clerks and others attending a race meeting though not scribers of the club conducting the of their class for whom club sub- necessarily members of the club aweepstakes to sign their names to seription fees must be kept down to organising the race in connection numbers on lists, would minimise with which the sweep is held are at disputes; on the contrary, such a any rate lending it their support system would seem more easily to by their presence and accorded its lend itself to troubles, unless there privilegea by admission to its enclo-be no transfer of title in the chance
which, human nature being what it is, no law cho ensure.
In moving that the Bill be read a' second time, the Attorney-General The abuses are being dealt with said: Sir, I rise to move the elsewhere much on the lines that it is proposed to adopt in dealing with second reading of Bill to them here; that is to say by restrict "amend the Gambling Ordinance, ing as far as possible the particip- 1891. That Ordinance has happily ants in clubs sweeps to club mem- bers by the abolition of tickets proved sufficient to prevent tho
generally. organization in the Colony of lotterier generally; but in so far as its provisions prohibited sweep stakes on horse and pony races it appears to have been in advance of public opinion with the result that it has been generally ignored. As long as such sweepstakes were small affairs voluntarily restricted to groups of members of clubs, they afforded amusement to the parti- cipants and though illegal by statute they did not lend themselves to grave abuse,
Burek.
It is felt that this limited salo of tickets will not be open to the abuses which have shown them:
minimum. But for the occasional addition of revenuo derived from the
The Jockey Club.
"Except in the case of pari- mutuel or cash-sweep tickets sold by the club organizing the race on the premises of the race course during the meeting at which the race Lakes place to persons at tonding auch meeting, no tickets shall be sold; but, subject to the provisions of sub-section (2), the chances shall be allocated only to members or subscribers of the club conducting the sweepstakes, who shall sign their names to numbers on lists in the premises of the club to which they belong."'
Amendment Defeated.
commission out of cash sweeps, the club committees would be sorely put
The Hon. Kotewall proposed the to it to find the means for ordinary recurring expenditure. Will any. ona be found denying to the com-deletion of the above clause. Ho munity the means of sustaining said: Your Excellency has just said Sweeps and Charity. irreproachable clubs in Hong Kong i selves where an unrestricted though have been conducting sweepstakes Council who would do so.
Certain public institutions which I cannot imagine of any in this that abuses have been frequent in the past and that the present aya illegal sale has been tolerated. As have put forward the argument, as
tem' cannot be allowed to go on, to the illegality of what has been The growth of these sweepstakes, that under the principal Ordinance ticket system, that a large portion. Now as regards the Hong Kong cannot agree the present system is but my Chinese colleagues and I done in the past I should point out reason for the retention of the carrying with it the unrestricted every person who buys a lottery tickets have in the past been devot- fact that the Jockey Club is an best and cannot be improved. I
of the proceeds of the sale of the Jockey Club nobody will deny the sale of tickets, has led to abuses five dollars and every person who that this reasoning has little weight efficiently and successfully managed ernment aims at, that is to minimize ticket is liable to a fine of twenty-ed to charity. We must confess organisation that has been, most feel that the system which the Gov- in recent years rendering action sells one or has one in his possession with us. It of some kind necessary. Bome of the with a view to sale, is liable to a whole point is whether the system the Colony. It provides much en- evils, can be introduced by the
appears to us that the in the interest of sport throughout promoters of these sweepstakes ap-move that the Bill be read a second
fine of forty times that amount. I of tickets is wrong or not. If it joyment for thousands of people of deletion of the above clauso and the pear to have forgotten the existence time,
is, it should be abolished altogether all nationalities within the beauti- the Government would, with the aid without any exception; otherwise ful valley which Hong Kong claims addition of such words as I have of law, perpetuate what is, in its stowards of the club are all gentle-
as its own "Happy Valley" The previously mentioned. view, wrong. If, on the other hand, men of influence and commanding. it is not wrong, then it would be positions and thoroughly imbued! dillcult for the Government to with a sporting spirit which will justify the differentiation. The best not deny to the lessor associations His Excellency the Governor ask Chinose opinion which we have con- and societies of Hong Kong the one ed Dr. Kotowall whether he would snited considers that tickets should opportunity open to them to secure like a division, but the latter de be allowed, subject to control by the wherewithal in order to main- alined to proceed further, adding, the police in regard to the percentain the social and recreative sides" In the circumstances the conse tage of commission to be charged, of their activities. There can be no quential amendment I intended to the maximum amount of a sweep-dog-in-the-manger policy with the proposo cannot be put forward.” tickets.
of the Gambling Ordinance, others DR. KOTEWALL'S OBJECTIONS. have thought apparently that polico permission over-rode the provisions
of the law. On more than one ing the Council, enid:-
The Hon. Dr. Kotewall, address ,occasion individual members of
Bir-The decision of the Govern- society have approached the polico for, permission to break the lawment to give local sanction to club on the plea that part of the receipts sweepstakes conducted on horse and would be devoted to charity.
pony races, but at the same time to subject such sanction to certain limitations, is a decision which has In one case a social institution met with the approval of a very
A Strange Request.
applied to the police for permiso majority of the people. There stake to be allowed, and hawking of Jockey Club, and I should be very
of dollars.
is, however, one sub-section in the sion to run a sweep in order to Bill now before this Council, which
much surprised if its stewards are In the circumstances my Chinese not in whole-hearted agreement raise money for the up-koop of its has given rise to much concern in colleagues and I suggest that sec. with the proposed amenduent. On premises on the plea that subscrip- the minds of many. It is section 16 tion 18 (1) (b) be deleted, and that the part of Government I trust, tions from members were not suf- (1) (b) which says that "excopt some additional words be inserted after hearing the humble subnis- ficient to meet expenses,
in the case of pari-mutuel or cash to make it clear that the Inspectorsions in favour of the amendment, The total at stake. and potential sweep tickets sold by the club or General of Police has the power Your Excellency might be pleased. prizes in many of these sweeps has ganising the race on the premises (subject to appeal to the Governor- grown to hundreds of thousands of the race course during the meet-in-Council) to fix a limit to the
to concar therain. This result has only ing at which the race takes place amount of a swoopatako so as to beon attained by advertising and to persons attending such meeting, prevent it from assuming undesir the development and organization no tickets shall be sold." of the sale of tickets which have|
abla proportions, and generally to Numerous representations have ing far beyond the limits of the nese colleagues and myself.br/purpose of preventing abuses in the found a public market extend been made to my Honourable Chi impose conditions designed for the Colony. This systematic sale bas social and sporting clubs which hava sale of tickets. I will accordingly, been, fostered by the employment of for years been running sweepstakes the deletion and amendment
when the Bill is in Committed, move shops and brokers for the sale of in connection with the annual races, such tickets on commission.A pointing out that the proposed sub-
In February, 1030, the Police found on sale in one place of general business tickets for sweepstakes organised by three separate institu- tions. A few doors dway they found a uutico displayed to public view Announcing that tickets for another sweepstako could be obtained.
HON. DR. TSO.
section would in effect prevent them from conducting successful sweep- stakes at all. It has also been Supporting Dr. Kotewall, the pointed out that the sub-section Hon. Dr. S. W. Teo said: gives undus advantage to the Jockey Club, which has so far been the only club that has organised horno and
pony races.
Hos. Dr. To seconded. Dr. Kotewall's amendment was defeated.
There were present- H.E. Sir William Pool, K.B.E, ...C.M.G..
H.E. Major-General J. W. Sandi-
lands, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O., Hon. Mr. E. R. Hallifax, C.M...
C.B.E..
Hon. Mr. O. McI. Messer, O.B.E., Hon. Mr. H. T.. Creasy, C.B.E., Hoa, Mr. O, G. Alabaster, K.C.,
O.B...
Hon. Mr. E. D. C. Wolfe, C.M.G., Hon. Mr. A. E.-Wood, Hon. Comdr. G. F. Holo, RN.
(retired).
Hon. Dr. A. R. Wellington, Hes. Mr. J. Owen Hughes, Hou, Sir Shou-sou Clow, Hon. Dr. R. H. Kotowall, C.M.G.,.
LLAD,
Hon. Dr. 8. W. Tổô, O.B.E,
LL.D.
Hon. Mr. J. P. Braga, Hon. Mr. J. J. Paterson, Hon. Mr. P. Landár, Hon. Mr. C. G. Mackie, and Mr.. E. W. Hamilton (Clerk of
Councils).
WHITTA'S MOTOR
H.E. THE GOVERNOR.
His Excellency the Governor: "I must congratulate my honourable friend Mr. Braga on having been 'fortunate enough to come in contact with only the clean and ideal side of these lotteries. Were things | exactly as he stated I doubt if the Government would have taken any Sirf bag to support the sugges- action at all. Unfortunately the tion of my Chinese colleague the Inspector-General of Police, in the Hon. Dr. Kotewall for the deletion
course of bit official duties, has 4 of Section 18 (1) (b) in the Bill. Enterprising Salesman.
Proforentiat Treatment.
now before the Council; and in hou come into contact with the other thorsol, the insertion of a clause side of the picture. I think the There have been cases within It is admitted by those directly empowering the Inspector-General speech of the Attorney-General the knowledge of most of us where concerned that some preferential of Police (subject to appeal to the tickets have been bought up in treatment is due to that club, as it Governor-in-Council) to fix a limit clearly shows there are abusos ás blocks by enterprising salesman and has to spend large sums of money to the amount of a aweepstake and a result of this system, and whether. offered at a premium when no fur in organising the races and in the to impose conditions for the purus are to allow lotteries at nil is ther tickets could be obtained from upkeep of the race-course; but on pose of proventing "abusos in the the organizers; or where the or- the other, hand our attention has anlo of tickets, dinary sale of a ticket has led to been drawn to the fact that this
I quite agree, and I believe it rival, claims of ownership and club already enjoys the advantage is the general opinion among the charges of trickery, when that ticket of being allowed by the police to Chinese, that of the two systems of won; or again where a club has charge of a commission of 30 per carrying out a sweepstake, namely, The particular point I must em-
An interesting event took place netted an enormous sum through cent, on the tickets sold against the the issuing of tickets or the signing phasize is this: it is not the tickets. the fact that no one has come for 10 per cent, permitted to the other by members or subscribers of the or the issue of tickets in themselves vnsterday when" Whitta's" "hold ward an owner of the ticket bear club, and that, in addition, it is club of their names to numbers on
that should be made illegal, it is their firat auction of motor-cars at ing the winning number, leading the only organization that conducts lists, the latter system would in the abuses which arise in the sale their salesroom in Cameron Road, to suggestions and inducendoes the pari-mutuel and cash-awoop volvo more trouble and even lead of these tickets that are phases Kowloon. with regard to the drawing of the stakes at the extra race meetings. itself more easily to abuses. Since which cannot easily be dealt with. The membership of the Jockey sweepstakes are to be sanctionedIt is easy to say that the system numbers.
It will be seen that it is in con- Club being necessarily limited, any by law the method by which the can be legalized, subject to certain nection with the growth of the special advantage accorded to it sweepstake is to be carried out is conditions and control of Police, but amounts involved and in the sale by law would be enjoyed by only immaterial provided safeguards auch I defy anyone to kill the abuses to of tickets rather than with other a comparatively small number of an those mentioned by my hon. which the Attorney-General referred people who happen to he memberstratengue by imerted in the Bith twists the tapedi- or pretorical Holl- rousons I beg to Rupport tics, and therefore Government is hardly add, are not of local churacy Chinese colleagues and I are the suggestion of deleting Section compelled in regard to the issue of was brought for $130. ter but have shewn themselves in members.
18 (1) (b) in the Bill, and of adding these shares or lotteries, to isano other places where auch sweepstakes The honourable
and learned a sub-section to provide the safe conditions which will minimize the Attorney-General, when introducing guards mentioned,
ovila which have existed in the past,
free of the Tor LTG CIRD, it may bỖ Savea tour ↑ Por
have arisen hesa
obtain.
a mattor which I sometimes doubt, but there is no question of their being allowed to go on under the present system,
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