XN000022-1974-10-31 — Page 14

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THURSDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1974

REVIEW OF GAMBLING LAW URGED

MORE PRACTICAL APPROACH NEEDED, SAYS MR. T.S. LO

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UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY CALLED FOR A COMPLETE REVIEW OF HONG KONG'S 'OUTDATED' GAMBLING LAWS WHICH, ONE COUNCILLOR SAID, SERVED NO USEFUL PURPOSE.

THE UNOFFICIALS' VIEW WAS EXPRESSED IN COUNCIL BY THE HON. LO TAK-SHING WHO SAID THAT WHILE HIS UNOFFICIAL COLLEAGUES HAD DIFFERING VIEWS AS TO WHAT MIGHT BE DONE ABOUT THE SITUATION, THEY WERE UNANIMOUS THAT THE MATTER BE GONE INTO THOROUGHLY ÁS SOON AS POSSIELE,

THE INSTINCT TO GAMBLE, HE SAID, WAS PART OF HUMAN NATURE AND ONE SHOULD NOT TRY TO GO AGAINST IT. INSTEAD, HE URGED, +LET US USE OUR INGENUITY AND OUR PRACTICAL SENSE TO DEVISE PRACTICAL LEGAL MACHINERY TO CONTROL GAMBLING AND PRACTICAL WAYS TO PROTECT OUR PEOPLE FROM THE WORST EFFECT OF THIS INSTINCT,+

MR. LO TRACED THE HISTORY OF THE GAMBLING ORDINANCE ENACTED IN 1891 BY THE THEN GOVERNOR SIR WILLIAM DES VOEUX, AND CONCLUDED THAT IN THE ENSUING 83 YEARS THE EXPERIMENT, WHICH HAD NOT BEEN EXPECTED TO WORK IN THE FIRST PLACE, +DID NOT WORK, HAS NEVER WORKED, AND WILL NEVER WORK.+

THE DOUBTS THAT HAD BEEN EXPRESSED AT THE TIME BY SIR WILLIAN THAT THE ORDINANCE WOULD BE INEFFECTIVE AND LEAD TO BRIBERY HAD BEEN PROVED BEYOND REASONABLE DOUBT, HE SAID, AND IN 93 YEARS NO ONE HAD FOUND ANY DIFFICULTY IN PLACING A BET IN ANY FORM OF GAMBLING.

+INDEED,+ HE WENT ON, +THE ILLEGAL GAMELING SYNDICATES" WHICH FLOURISH IN HONG KONG ARE FAR WORSE THAN ANY LEGALLY CONTROLLED ONES.

+TO ENFORCE PAYMENT OF GAMBLERS' DEBTS THEY EMPLOY HOODLUMS AND RESORT TO FORCE. TO INCREASE THEIR EARNINGS THEY DEAL IN DRUGS AND PROSTITUTION. TO ENSURE THAT CUSTOMERS LOSE THEY FIX THE ODDS, LOAD THE DICE AND TILT THE TABLES. FINALLY, TO KEEP IN BUSINESS THEY RELY ON BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION. +

+TO A PERSON WHO TELEPHONES HIS BOOKIE FOR AN OFF-COURSE BET ON HORSES OR DOGS THE BOUNDARIES BETWEEN RIGHT AND WRONG, IN MY VIEW, ARE ENTIRELY OBLITERATED, HE SAID. +THE CRIMINAL LAW IS BECOMING WHAT THE POLICE CHOCŠE TO ENFORCE, NOT WHAT THE LEGISLATURE ENACTS.+

CHINESE CURES

J

MR. LO ALSO URGED THE GOVERNMENT, ON BEHALF OF THE UNOFFICIAL MEMBERS, TO SET UP A SPECIAL UNIT TO COLLATE INFORMATION AND TO ESTABLISH RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS IN THE UNIVERSITIES ON TRADITIONAL CHINESE MEDICINES SO AS TO BUILD UP COMPREHENSIVE DATA ON CHINESE CURES.

/WHILST IT

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