THE GAMBLING VIRUS,

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1890, 27 October 1913, Page 5

THE GAMBLING VIRUS,

HORfiE-RACING & TWO-UP. '

DEBASING SPORT

The Dean of Newcastle, New South Wales, in the" course of a'paper oil "Tho Dangers of Leisure," read at tlio Anglican C'hurok Congress, in Brisbane, said\ There is an evil which, unhappily, setms to bo a perpetual adjunct of most forma of sport, though it is most Has*rantly apparent in connection with; horse.racing. .1 rofer to ! I' am aware many men differentiate be- • tiveen betting and gambling, but it seoms to mo they differ only in degree; not in dsseuce. Herbert Spencer defined gambling as "a kind of action by,' which, pleasure is obtained at the cost' of pain to another. It affords 110 equivalent to the general good, and the happiness of tho winner implies tho. misery of tho loser." And so, quite nghtly, he calls gambling anti-social, for ono man's gain must be anotherman's loss. Bishop Westcott define?" gambling in a similar Way. He saysf j "Gambling is the habitual seeking oi' personal gain through another's lass, though with his consent, without making any adequate return (for what they) receive, or adding, anything to tho sum' of their common wealth." These two definitions show quite clearly that gambling is anti-social, and contrary to tho' welfare of Ina.ll. It is rooted in selfish-! nc-ss, and therefore is wrong. And sport to-day, which occupies so. many of tin leisuro hours of Australians, is largely inoculated with the gambling virus. ' '

Though gambling is, unfortunately j associated with nearly all forms • or sport, it is seen in its most virulent form in connection with race meetings. Thousands of men, women, and youths are spectators, many of whom have little real love for horse racing other than as a means of gratifying their passion for gambling. Not so long ago racecourses, except in connection with the largdr towns, were unknown: now thero aro few large villages which do not! possess a course. Horso racing, like football, in itself doubtless is a noble sport, but it seems impossible to disassociate it from gambling.' It is an evil which has crept into small towns and tiny villages. It is not confined to -the wealthier classes. It has laid hold upon . all eksscs of the community. Bookmakers become rich at the expenso of the poor man as well as of the rich. In England the report of the lloyal Commission' 011 betting shows that there, aro at least 2500 bookmakers in England, whose annual turnover is reckon-, ed at not less than £50,000,000, and 1 think i.n proportion Australia, would l not bo far bcliiud. fifty years _ ago betting was practically a monopoly of the wealthier classes. To-day it is, as I have said, the monopoly of ho ono class, and tlio fover' of betting' fills many a labouring man's leisure, hours, and 1 without doubt in time brings iiis ruin.- It would be quite impossible for 1110 to show you that 4jiis evil is not limited to menj but extends to women, and even to children. It is so great ail evil that it is 110 exaggeration to call) it a social cancer, and unless its .growth., can be stopped't will sooner than anything else kill true sport in Australia. 1 have spoken so far of two dangers which aro attached' to legitimate sport. I would like to give an example, qf how. leisure can bo wasted in a. way . that is altogether futile, and has not even the excuse of being allied to any form of sport. Thero are to-day, I speak only of the part of Australia with which J am acquainted, hundreds of young mea, who spend hpui* after hour every Sunday in the year playing that most sense-, less game, known as "two-up. The bush, tlio river, the lake, ail call then; to somo health-giving recreation; tih.u sky and tlio earth call, them, and all the glories of English literature, yet their idea of a pleasant Sunday morning, or a pleasant Sunday afternoon, is to squat "on the ground, ill blackfellaw. fashion, and toss coppers with a stick. If nothing else strikes ono, at least the. hideous fatuity of these, wasted hours of opportunity is appalling. 'In tlio mining districts thoro "ar« scores.of "two-up .schools," the mem-, hers of which aro boys and men whoso ages vary from 16 to 30 or 35. The "schools," apart from gambling, _ aro tho training ground for .the criminals of Australia; a strong statement, but ono which I know to bo true. Of course,the gamo is illegal, but the "schools" aro well organised, scouts are posted, and the approach of any stranger is ■signalled and the "school dispersed till the danger of detection is past. Yet occasionally arrests are made. In, the Newcastle poiico district since January, 28 men and lads were convicted of playing "two-up." The Church recognises that sport and 1 amusement, should rightly occupy 3 part of man's leisure. In 110 way does she wish to curtail legitimate sport and decent amusement. She welcomes as ah ally everything tligt £oes to make a. healthy body and a healthy mind. But what slio does condemn with all tlio authority she possesses is that which is robbing sport of its manliness, aud amusement of its l^enJifcliiiießS.