The proposal _ in the special crimmstances I thing kong and provided that, fromally
ar
argent, the initiation
can be shown.
to come from Hong Kong. After the firmnes reaction to to Leeward Islands
proposal (which sumprised
ть
when I saw
6
the hayran in the circulation) don't that time ended if these ware and my Amint to trans), I think it would to difficult forms to afferm to take the initiation in making a simila proposal. for another Wolny.
unes.
24/6.
I too
f
in the special
Justifier.
Stinger of the pricin that, cies. jota..
The introduction
State
lotter
wf.
я рез
C
26/6.
Secretary of State.
The only issue here requiring your consideration is the proposal for the initiation of a State lottery in Hong Kong. In spite of the views expressed by nearly everybody else, I remain very dubious about it. I may be regarded as not so much puritanical as hypocritical, but it seems to me very much better that Government should not itself organise gambling facilities, even though it may be prepared to take a tribute from such activities if they are organised by other people. That in effect is the position in this country in which Government takes a tax on the principal forms of betting but does not itself organise any such betting. It is the system which has long existed in Hong Kong itself where the Government enjoys a quite substantial revenue from the betting tax, most of it coming from a percentage I think now 20% of the gross proceeds of sweepstakes organised by the Hong Kong Jockey Club. I am very doubtful whether it is desirable that Government should now go further and itself organise lotteries.
The arguments for such a course are that the Colony badly needs revenue, that the population will gamble anyway, but that they will gamble rather more, or at least to greater public advantage, if the
Government