NOTES OF THE DAY.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1016, 4 January 1911, Page 4

NOTES OF THE DAY.

The Press Association agent in Auckland favours us with a delightful telegram about the impending preparation of the Government House in that city for the reception of the Governor. It is satisfactory to know that Auckland is in a state of rapture and that his Excellency has been qiiick to learn what Auckland expects him to say. Kipling certainly set a very high /'standard for tho eulogists that would come after him, but his Excellency seems not to have disgraced himself. The only passage in the telegram, however, that really matters is this: As much of the fumituro ns .possible will bo purchased in Auckland,- or, if it is necessary to have it specially manu-, facturcd, as large an order will be placed locally as possible. His Excellency recognises the keen interest taken by i-'tho people of Auckland in. the-, retention of tltt Houw.

There you-have it. There is the heart-throb—tho kernel of the whole story—the real point. It is, pleasant to have the honour of his Excellency's presence, but for downright, solid cnjoyableness his need for chairs to sit in and tables .to eat at,' eclipses all else. Our Christchurch correspondent, in sending us yesterday a brief Extract from an article in the Christchurch Government organ upon the Prime Minister's wish for special press correspondents at tho Imperial Conference, missed a very delightful point. Sir Joseph, this journal observes, need have no fear that the present news service will not provide an adequate outline of the proceedings at the Conference. Itgoes on to say: As it happens to bo controlled in Australia it probably will give much. more prominence to the representatives of the 'Commonwealth than "it will to those of New Zealand, but \ve do not know that •this country or its newspapers will suffer on that account. The same influence was at work during tho sitting of the last Conference and Mr. Deakm received a grent deal more attention -from the cable agent than . Sir Joseph did, but- the resident correspondents did net leave 'us in ignoraneo of tho very excellent work that was being done by our representative, and for ourselves we shall be quite content to trust them again. ■ Was it this that was behind Sir Joseph's suggestion: a fear that there might be an intolerable deal of Fisher to.a.ha.'por.th of' Ward.

, A'correspondent draws attention to the fact that certain important sections of tho New Gaming Act are already in force, ■ notably_ the section relating to street betting. One of the greatest, if not the greatest, evil connected with the bookmaker 'is the opportunity he afford? the public of betting away from "tho racecourse. If betting were confined to the racecourses it. w.ovild be so restricted as to be almost infinitesimal in volume compared to what has been happening for years past and is still.continued. If a man. can only, wagor .on horseracing with safety at 'race meetings he is not likely to do so very often—that is, of course, the average citizen. As a rule he'can only secure the leisure to.attend thoso meetings within a reasonable distance of his place of residence, which means that he can only-'b'o present at something like half a' dozen raco meetings in the course of a' year. But with bookmakers operating in every town in the' Dominion he can wagor on overy race meeting held, and they run into several hundreds in the course of a year.. 'The new. Act with its clauses relating to street betting was expected to' at least minimise this evil by making it a very dangerous thin£ to indulge in betting on horseracing away ;from racecourses. . Most people are well aware that at the.present time street betting, within the meaning' of tho Act, is carried on in Wellington and elsewhere every day a race meeting take's place in any part : of New Zealand. Itvis .time, the authorities, bp-: .stirred themselves. '.. ' ... ..; ~