So far as gambling was concern-nothing in the Land prohibit it altogether; there was no mention of public gambling and the Municipal Council had no power to prevent it as public gambling. The by-laws referred to licences for lotteries, but it had been the policy of the'Council for a long time not to issue any licences. In 1901 the Council to suppress lotteries by chareing a prohibitive licence fee, such as Tls. 1,000, but it was found that, if anything, this encouraged them, and the Consular Body had request= ed them to discontinue the practice. 2 Liconees had been granted to Keep "a place of public entertain ment," he said, provided there is no. gambling allowed. All these licences required counter-signature by the governmental authorities, It would thus be seen that control of public gambling did not lie entirely in the hands of the Council. Tt needed the ce-operation amd support which the S.M.C. had received from the governmental authorities, He showed that it was only the governmental authorities who could initiate proceedings effectively. The authorities could issue warrants against any guilty of breaches of aw, and the S.3.C. could sue them for breaches of by-laws, but in the latter cage the penalty was a small fine and would be inadequate.
He then dealt with the Shanghai Greyhound Club and the Greyhound Racing Club, which he described as being international clubs which Jease their premises from two" British companies. These clubs could be licensed by the S.M.C. as. "places of public entertainment."
Uneffeeted by Agitation When the Greyhound Racing Club began, the question of this licence was taken up by. while discussions were going on that various protests appeared, particularly in the Chinese press, rome from political bodies and some from associations. He emphasized that. the Council was not affected by the agitation and will go on with their' policy of adhering to the regula-_ tions, though ready to consider citizens' views.
The question of the control or suppression of greyhound racing clubs depended entirely upon the consular authorities concerned, who alone were in a position to judge of infringements of gambling laws.
Cash sweeps at the two clubs had now been made available to memers only and the only question was of the pari-mutuals, which rests with the national' authorities concerned. The applicants for lucences being British, at present the matter was receiving the consideration of the British authorities,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.