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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1974.
SHA ADVOCATES GRADUAL ELIMINATION OF WORST ABUSES IN
GAMBLING *****
THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, THE HON. DENIS BRAY, SAID TODAY THE BEST POLICY ON GAMBLING SEEMS TO BE ONE OF +GRADUALISM+.
HE TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL THAT THE GOVERNMENT FELT IT WISE TO MOVE +CAUTIOUSLY BY THE ELIMINATION OF THE WORST ABUSES NOW FOUND IN THIS FIELD.+
+A PERIODIC CONSIDERATION OF THE PROBLEM WITH CAREFULLY CONSIDERED CHANGES, TAKING INTO ACCOUNT CHANGES IN PUBLIC OPINION ARE A BETTER WAY OF PROCEEDING THAN THE APPOINTMENT OF A WORKING PARTY, HE ADDED.
A WORKING PARTY MAY ONLY BE APPROPRIATE IF IT SEEMED NECESSARY TO TAKE SOME DRASTIC STEPS SUCH AS DEVISING TOUGH NEW LAWS OR ABANDONING ALL CONTROL.
MR. BRAY ADMITTED THAT THE PRESENT POSITION WAS FAR FROM SATISFACTORY, BUT SAID A START AT REFORM HAS BEEN MADE IN THE PAST 12 MONTHS AND I BELIEVE THE RIGHT WAY TO PROCEED NOW IS TO CONTINUE THIS PROCESS STEADILY AND PURPOSEFULLY IN A WAY THAT WILL FIND ACCEPTANCE IN THE COMMUNITY.
NOT ALL FORMS OF UNLAWFUL GAMBLING ARE WIDESPREAD, AND
IT IS THOSE WHICH ARE PERVASIVE THAT CONCERN US.
HE ADDED THAT LEGALISATION OF ALL GAMBLING WOULD NOT BE GENERALLY ACCEPTABLE NOW. +BUT CHANGES IN LICENSING AND CONTROL METHODS FROM TIME TO TIME ARE ACCEPTABLE.+
TURNING TO THE QUESTION OF CHILDREN AGED 12 AND 13 WHO ARE NOT AT SCHOOL, MR. BRAY SAID THAT THE +PROBLEM IN ITS TRADITIONAL FORM IS SOLVED BY THE EDUCATION WHITE PAPER.+
+IN ABOUT TWO YEARS FROM NOW THERE SHOULD BE ENOUGH PLACES FOR ALL PRIMARY SCHOOL LEAVERS IF WE INCLUDE PRIVATE SCHOOLS. SINCE FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES ARE NOT ONE OF THE IMPORTANT REASONS DETERRING SUCH CHILDREN FROM CONTINUING SCHOOLING, THE WHITE PAPER HAS DEALT WITH THIS PROBLEM ONCE AND FOR ALL,+ MR. BRAY SAID.
HOWEVER, HE ADDED THAT WITH ADEQUATE SCHOOL PLACES FOR NORMAL CHILDREN IN THESE AGE GROUPS+ A DIFFERENT PROBLEM COMES INTO GREATER PROMINENCE+ -- CHILDREN UNABLE TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF NORMAL SCHOOLING OR UNWILLING TO GO TO SCHOOL AT ALL.
REFERRING TO THIS LATTER GROUP, MR. BRAY SAID THAT CHILDREN WITH BEHAVIOUR PROBLEMS NEEDED PROPER GUIDANCE. IT WAS NOT YET KNOWN WHAT WAS LIKELY TO BE THE BEST FORM OF +RESCUE OPERATION+ FOR THEM, MANY OF WHOM WERE ON THE +PATH TO DELINQUENCY+.
/ORDINARY SCHOOL