XN000022-1973-07-06 — Page 13

12

Friday, July 6, 1973

LIGHTENING THE COMMISSIONER'S BURDEN

A new bill will soon be introduced to the Legislative Council

seeking to relieve the Commissioner of Police from the duty of personally

dealing with applications for certain permits under the Gambling Ordinance.

These applications comprise the issue of permits for the provision

of amusements with prizes at licensed places of public entertainment;

permission for a lottery incidental to an entertainment and not for private

gain; and permission for certain societies to promote tombola,

Cited as the Gambling (Amendment) Bill 1973, it is published

in today's gazette for general information.

At present, about 350 applications for such permits are received

annually and they impose an excessively high demand on the time of the

Commissioner.

When the bill is passed into law, the authority to approve or

reject these applications would be delegated to the officer in charge

of the Police Licensing Office who is normally a police superintendent.

Another section of the bill will enable a society which is exempted

from registration under the Societies Ordinance to be granted a tombola permit.

The societies which may be exempted from registration are mainly

those established solely for religious, charitable, social and recreational

purposes.

/13