§ MR. MATTHEW KENNY (Tyrone, Mid)I beg to ask the Attorney General if his attention has been directed to a decision in the case of Blake v. Morse, tried before Lord Justice Fry (and reported in the Times of 7th March), in which the plaintiff, a "betting agent," sought to recover a sum, claimed as due, on a balance of account on bets alleged to have been made by the plaintiff for the defendant as his betting agent, and with regard to which, in giving judgment for the plaintiff, Lord justice Fry is reported to have said—
This belongs to a class of actions which, I fear, have become more numerous in consequence of the decision in the case cited (Reed v Aaderson, 13 Q. B. Div. 779), in which I, no doubt, found myself obliged by legal principles and authorities to concur, but the social effects of which are nevertheless to be regretted;and whether, in view of the fact that these decisions, and some others of a similar character, deprive Section 18 of Act 8 and 9 Vic. c. 109, of a considerable portion of its value, he will undertake to introduce a Bill dealing with the matter, so as to render all bets by way of gaming and wagering, whether by principal or agent, null and void?
§ THE ATTORNEY GENERAL (Sir R. WEBSTER,) Isle of WightI have seen the report of the case referred to in the hon. Member's question. I am aware that the existing state of the law enables betting to be carried on in many instances 346 in which it would be well if it could be prevented, but the subject is one of so much difficulty that I am afraid I cannot undertake to introduce a Bill dealing with the matter.