HC Deb 15 November 1911 vol 31 cc347-8
Sir HERBERT ROBERTS

asked the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether his attention has been called to the official notice published in the "Times," of Malaya, on the 13th October, 1911, inviting tenders for licences for public gaming houses in the State of Negri Sembilan (Federated Malay States); and will he say what are the grounds upon which this system of public gambling is officially recognised and encouraged?

The SECRETARY of STATE for the COLONIES (Mr. Harcourt)

The policy of His Majesty's Government, with regard to gambling in the Federated Malay States was explained by my right hon. Friend the First Lord of the Admiralty, then Under-Secretary of State for the Colonies, on 3rd December, 1906, in answer to a question asked by the then hon. Member for Renfrewshire (East). The views of His Majesty's Government as to the desirability of the suppression of gambling and the impracticability of total prohibition at present remain unchanged, but no suitable opportunity of restricting the area within which gambling is permitted has been or will be neglected.

Mr. LEIF JONES

Has gambling in the Malay States diminished since the Government took it in hand?

Mr. HARCOURT

I think it has. Certainly it is at a very much lower level than when it was in private hands.