XN000022-1976-11-24 — Page 10

WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 24, 1976

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FUTURE OF MAHJONG SCHOOLS

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THE GOVERNMENT'S FUTURE POLICY REGARDING MAHJONG SCHOOLS WILL DEPEND ON THE WAYS THINGS GO AFTER THE NEW GAMBLING BILL BECOMES LAW, THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, THE HON. DENIS BRAY, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.

IN REPLY TO A SERIES OF QUESTIONS FROM THE HON. ROGER LOBO ON MAHJONG SCHOOLS, HE SAID THE NEW BILL WOULD MAKE IT NO LONGER AN OFFENCE TO PLAY MAHJONG PUBLICLY IN LICENSED RESTAURANTS AND IN THE PREMISES OF LAWFUL CLUBS AND SOCIETIES.

HE ADDED THAT THE GOVERNMENT WOULD BE IN A BETTER POSITION TO SEE WHETHER THERE SHOULD BE ANY CHANGE IN THE POLICY ON MAHJONG SCHOOLS WHEN THE BILL HAD BEEN IN OPERATION FOR SOME TIME.

HE RECALLED THAT A POLICE SURVEY IN 1950 HAD REVEALED 39 MAHJONG HOUSES IN OPERATION.

THESE ESTABLISHMENTS, WHICH WERE THEN USED AS MEETING PLACES BY TRIADS AND OTHER SORTS OF CRIMINALS, WERE NOT SUBJECT TO ANY FORM OF CONTROL, NOR WERE THEY REQUIRED TO TAKE OUT ANY FORM OF LICENCES, HE SAID.

+ THE GOVERNMENT PROPOSED INITIALLY TO PROHIBIT THESE ESTABLISHMENTS ALTOGETHER BUT LATER DECIDED TO LICENSE THEM BECAUSE, AS THE COLONIAL SECRETARY OF 1956 SAID, 'PROHIBITION OF THESE ESTABLISHMENTS WOULD PUT A LARGE NUMBER OF PERSONS OUT OF WORK AND

IT SHOULD BE POSSIBLE TO PREVENT ABUSES WHICH HAD ARISEN IN THESE ESTABLISHMENTS BY A SYSTEM OF CONTROL THROUGH LICENSING', + MR. BRAY SAID.

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE LICENSING OF MAHJONG SCHOOLS HAD BROUGHT THEM UNDER BETTER CONTROL AND HE THOUGHT THAT THE OBJECT OF LICENSING HAD BEEN ACHIEVED.

+MAHJONG WAS, AND STILL IS, A COMMON AND POPULAR GAME PLAYED BY MANY AND PROHIBITING SUCH ESTABLISHMENTS WOULD ONLY HAVE DRIVEN THEM UNDERGROUND AND INTO THE HANDS OF UNLAWFUL ELEMENTS, + HE SAID.

THERE ARE AT PRESENT 92 MAHJONG SCHOOLS IN OPERATION UNDER THE GAMBLING ORDINANCE, MR. BRAY ADDED.

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