§ Page 17, line 37, leave out from the beginning to ("any") in line 38.
§ Page 17, line 41, leave out from ("any,") to ("calculated,") in line 42, and insert ("such matter descriptive of the drawing or intended drawing of the lottery, or otherwise relating to the lottery, as is").
§ THE MARQUESS OF LONDONDERRYMy Lords, I would ask you to take these two Amendments together. The effect of the Amendments is that it will be an offence to print, firstly, any advertisement of a lottery; secondly, any list of prize winners; and thirdly, "any such matter descriptive of the drawing or intended drawing of the lottery or otherwise relating to the lottery as is calculated to act as an inducement to persons to participate in that lottery or other lotteries." It will he observed that the Amendments propose that as regards matter descriptive of the drawing or intended drawing of a lottery, only such matter as is calculated to act as an inducement to persons to participate in a lottery is punishable, whereas in the Bill, as it stands, all matter descriptive of the drawing or intended drawing is struck at. There is the further safeguard that, even in respect of such matter, prosecutions can only be instituted by the Director of Public Prosecutions. I beg to move that we agree with the Commons Amendments.
§ Moved, That this House doth agree with the Commons in the said Amendments.—(The Marquess of Londonderry.)
§ EARL HOWEMy Lords, I do not know if I may be allowed to ask the noble Marquess a question relating to this. Presumably this clause is directed against the Free State lottery, and if that is so 482 I should like to ask the noble Marquess why it is really necessary to have such a clause. I cannot see what it is going to do. First of all, it will not protect people in this country in any way because of the medium of the wireless. I imagine that all that it is necessary for the Free State authorities to do would be to get on to the wireless and to send on the information over here with regard to the lottery, just as if this clause did not operate. I do not see what control is possible in the circumstances, and I would like to ask the noble Marquess whether he could 'say a word on that.
§ THE MARQUESS OF LONDONDERRYMy Lords, I do not feel at all unsympathetic to the point that the noble Earl has raised, but, as he knows, the main object of this Bill is to penalise those persons who exploit others in this connection, and we have to take all the precautions we think proper and necessary in order to a, all that lies in our power to penalise such people. I agree that there are facilities, such as the noble Earl has indicated, which can be utilised by the Irish lottery promoters, and I have no doubt they will have thought of them. All I can say is that in the Bill we have done everything we can to penalise and prevent those people who are exploiting others to their own profit.
§ On Question, Motion agreed to.