§ MR. BOTTOMLEY (Hackney, S.)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his attention has been called to the increase in the number of people attending race meetings since the passing of the Street Betting Act and to the increase in the receipts of the continental pari-mutuels since the suppression of open betting; and whether, in view of these indications of the effect of legislative interference with the sporting proclivities of the people, he will consider the desirableness of introducing legislation with the object of restoring to the working classes the opportunities they formerly possessed of gratifying such proclivities without having recourse to continental betting agencies or attending race meetings.
§ MR. GLADSTONEI have read the newspaper cuttings which my hon. friend has sent me, but I do not think it desirable to introduce legislation of the kind suggested.