HC Deb 15 November 1906 vol 165 cc92-3
MR. O'GRADY

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies whether he is aware that a memorial has been presented to Sir John Anderson, K.CM.G., His Majesty's High Commissioner of the Federated Malay States, by Chinese employers, physicians, teachers, merchants, tin miners, planters, traders, and shopkeepers resident in the Straits Settlement and Federated Malay States, praying that His Excellency may abrogate the licensed gambling now existing in the States under his jurisdiction, and that the only action taken by His Excellency was to shorten the hours during which licensed gambling is carried on; and whether, seeing that the effect of such action has been to increase the stakes, leaving the evil as bad as ever, and that in is only for the Chinese in the mining districts that licensed gambling is provided, the Malays and Tamils in the agricultural districts being prohibited by law from gambling, he will say what steps, if any, the Colonial Office intend taking to put an end to this evil sanctioned by law.

MR. CHURCHILL

I can only refer the hon. Member to the Answers which I have given within the last few days to several similar Questions † and to the Answer given to-day to the hon. Member for Sunderland. The Secretary of State is fully alive to the objections to this system, but he is satisfied that for the reasons which I have stated, it would be inadvisable to attempt its immediate total abolition. †See (4) Debates,clxiv.,114–1053

MR. O'GRADY

Why was this con- cession granted to the Chinese?

MR. CHURCHILL

I suppose because they applied for it.

MR. SUMMERBELL (Sunderland)

I beg to ask the Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies if representations have been made to him in regard to the licensed gambling carried on in the Straits Settlements and the Federated Malay States, and the great evil arising there from; and, if so, what action, if any, he intends to take with a view to its abolition.

MR. CHURCHILL

The system of licensed gaming does not exist in the Straits Settlements. As regards the Federated Malay States I would refer the hon. Member to the Answer given on 12th November to a similar Question asked by the hon. Member for Orkney and Shetland, † and I may add that a Bill for the suppression of public gaming within proclaimed areas is now before the Councils of the various States.

MR. O'GRADY

Is this a result of the compound system in this quarter of the world?

MR. CHURCHILL

I do not think that has anything to do with it.