! LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 864, 9 July 1910, Page 6

! LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

THE CAMBLINC EVIL. Sir,—-As a reader of your valued journal, I have been struck by tho articles lately appearing therein on the. abovementioned question.-' Especially so in regard to the divergence of opinion.expressed by the different speakers at the public meeting of the Anti-Gambling League, hold in the Chamber of Commerce, Wellington, on July 1. This meeting, presumably, was called for tho pui'pose of supporting a Bill about to be introduced into Parliament by Mr. INowmaji, M.P.. for the abolition of the licensed bookmaker, and probably was inspired by the remarks, attributed to his Honour Judge Chapman, in sentencing a pair of defaulting accountants, at the last sitting of tho Supreme Court at Auckland.

But to anybody familiar with the whole of the circumstances involved in this momentous matter, the question instantly arises, why is it such a crying necessity to obliterate the bookmaker, a recently legalised acquisition to our racecourse? Is he the sole cause of the excessive gambling attributed to our people? -.Echo answers "No." The amount of money invested 011 the totalisator since the advent of the bookmaker has increased enormously. It is just when one gets so far with his meditations that' the light commences to penetrate, and one begins to analyse tho different ingredients comprising the socalled anti-gambling meeting, and the object it had in view. On carefully weighing the facts made apparent, I sum the case up as follows'.—Fearing for the safety of their pet instrument, the totalisator, which is in jeopardy by reason of the Prime Minister's promise to give the House- this session the opportunity of doing away with both bookmaker and totalisator, the friends of the totalisator have sought, by bringing in, a Bill providing for the abolition, of the bookmaker, to enlist the sympathy of the Rev. North and others of the Anti-Gambling League in their cause, and at the same time draw a red herring' across_ the trail of the main evil, for the time being—to wit, "Tho Totalisator."

Out of all the speakers at the meeting it devolved on the redoubtable T. E. Taylor to bit the usual nail on the head, which he did to some purpose when lie stated : "He could see no excuse for singling out the bookmaker only. It would' be far better in his opinion to leave the bookmaker and abolish the totalisator," etc. Mr. Taylor would do away with both, thereby showing his consistency. In directs/contrast to.Mr. Newman, he would attack the evil at the root, thereby destroying tlie tree hi its entirety. Mr. Newman would like to lop off a few of its outer branches, thereby causing the original tree to ■ throw up the usual number of parasitical suckers. Is there any need to ask which' procedure is correct? If, sir, as alleged, we .have too much gambling in the Dominion lot the Government prove its sincerity 'by outing the totalisator and bookmaker,, and thereby wash its hands of any participation in gambling. Half measures will'never avail. If the evil exists kill it root, and there then will exist no cause for the most rabid anti-gam-bler to hurl further reproach at our present law-makers. ■

In-regard, to Judge Chapman's remarks above-mentioned, I would recommend your readers to peruse an article on the question appearing in the "Melbourne Herald" of Monday, Juno 27, 1910, in which the learned judge's remarks.arc very keenly analysed. Apologising for trespassing at such length,— I am, etc., . FAIR PLAY. Auckland, July 5.