WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 1936
10
PUBLIC VIEWS BEING SOUGHT ON BILLIARD SALOONS
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AN EXERCISE TO GAUGE PUBLIC OPINION ON THE CONTROL OF BILLIARD SALOONS IS UNDER WAY AND PROPOSALS TO AMEND THE LAW WILL BE INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL IN THE LIGHT OF THE OUTCOME, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON MICHAEL THOMAS SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
IN REPLY TO A QUESTION BY DR THE HON DANIEL TSE, MR THOMAS EXPLAINED THAT BILLIARD SALOONS THAT WERE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC WERE SUBJECT TO LICENSING CONTROL AND THE POLICE HAD POWERS OF ENTRY.
THE POLICE REGULARLY VISITED LICENSED BILLIARD SALOONS FOR THE PURPOSE OF ENSURING THAT GOOD ORDER IS MAINTAINED ON THE PREMISES, HE SAID.
HOWEVER, HE SAID, BILLIARD SALOONS WHICH WERE RUN BY PRIVATE CLUBS AND WERE NOT OPEN TO THE PUBLIC, WERE NOT SUBJECT TO LICENSING AND THE POLICE DID NOT HAVE POWERS OF ENTRY.
+POLICE ACTION IS, HOWEVER, POSSIBLE IF IT CAN BE SHOWN THAT THE CLUB IS A SHAM AND NO MORE THAN A DEVICE TO AVOID THE NEED FOR LICENSING.
+A NUMBER OF PROSECUTIONS ARE PENDING BEFORE THE COURTS IN SUCH CASES. HE ADDED.
MR THOMAS SAID THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL WAS INFORMED ON JUNE 26 THAT THE SECRETARY FOR MUNICIPAL SERVICES WAS EXAMINING THE ISSUE OF WHETHER AND HOW SOME MEASURE OF CONTROL SHOULD BE INTRODUCED OVER UNLICENSED BILLIARD CLUBS.
+SINCE THEN. BOTH WITHIN THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE URBAN COUNCIL, WHICH IS THE LICENSING AUTHORITY FOR PUBLIC BILLIARD SALOONS IN THE URBAN AREA, THERE HAS BEEN AGREEMENT THAT BILLIARD CLUBS SHOULD BE CONTROLLED IN THE SAME WAY AS LICENSED PUBLIC BILLIARD SALOONS.
+WHAT HAS NOT BEEN AGREED YET IS HOW BEST BOTH TYPES OF BILLIARD SALOONS SHOULD BE CONTROLLED.
+AN EXERCISE TO GAUGE PUBLIC OPINION IS UNDER WAY AND PROPOSALS TO AMEND THE LAW WILL BE INTRODUCED INTO THIS COUNCIL IN THE LIGHT OF THE OUTCOME, MR THOMAS SAID.
ON THE NUMBER OF CRIME CASES WHICH OCCURRED IN BILLIARD SALOONS, MR THOMAS SAID THAT ALTHOUGH A NUMBER OF RECENT CASES HAD ATTRACTED PUBLIC ATTENTION, THE RELATIVE INCIDENCE OF CRIME IN BILLIARD SALOONS AND BILLIARD CLUBS WAS NOT UNDULY HIGH.
+THERE WAS A TOTAL OF 230 CASES IN THE WHOLE OF 1985. AND Tne.. ARE 48 BILLIARD SALOONS AND AT LEAST 130 BILLIARD CLUBS--THAT IS ON AVERAGE NOT MUCH MORE THAN ONE CASE EACH YEAR IN EACH ESTABLISHMENT.+
/HOWEVER, HE