Played The Last Card But One

The New Guinea House of Assembly in late November over whelmingly defeated a move to repeal the controversial Playing Cards Ordinance it made in August.

The ordinance makes it an offence to play any sort of cards in a rivate home, unless the cards have been hired or borrowed from a 'censed cardplaying premises and returned as soon as possible.

Bridge players who play with their own cards in their own homes, or example are liable to three months goal.

The ordinance also makes it an offence to import or manufacture laying cards without the authority of the Commissioner of Police.

It is at present before the Governor-General, Lord Casey, who has le right to disallow it before it becomes law.

The ordinance is an attempt to lessen the incidence of gambling mong New Guineans.

Mr. Keith Tetley, who introduced the bill to repeal the original rdinance, said it made the Papua-New Guinea parliament “the laughing 'ock of the world”.

“Any law that cannot be enforced is a stupid law,” he said. “Since le ordinance was passed people have been buying up playing cards by le gross which makes it quite clear that they intend to continue playing.

“The government has let this house write into law one of most diculous pieces of legislation in history,” he said.—AAP Reuter.