§ MR. SAMUEL SMITH (Flintshire)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been drawn to the recent decision of the Chamber of Deputies in Franco, which has decided to suppress every kind of public betting at race meetings, and even the Paris mutual bookmakers are to be interdicted; and whether the Government will take in to consideration the expediency of proposing similar legislation for this country?
§ THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE HOME DEPARTMENT (Mr. MATTHEWS,) Birmingham, E.I collect from the newspapers that the French Chambers have rejected a Bill by which the Government proposed to legalise what is called the pari mutuel, and to levy a considerable tax on that form of betting. I also collect that M. Constans announced that if this Bill were rejected he would go to the opposite extreme, and would prosecute those who practised that form of gambling; but this decision does not appear to be final. The Government do not intend to propose any legislation on this subject.
§ SIR W. LAWSON (Cumberland, Cockermouth)I understand from the right hon. Gentleman that the Government proposed to legalise the pari mutuel. Is it at present optional?
§ MR. MATTHEWSI do not gather that the Government proposed to legalise it, but to impose a tax upon it.