THE GAMING AND LOTTERIES ACT.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3260, 13 December 1881, Page 4

THE GAMING AND LOTTERIES ACT.

" Civis," in a recent issue of tho Otago Witness says : —" The effort to establish morality by statute has itsdiflluulties. When the sinners greatly outnumber the saints, there are countless ways in which the most stringent laws can be evaded. In places like the State of Maine, where absolute suppression of the liquor trade has been tried, you get into certain shops and by an ill-con-sidered trifle worth, say, a halfpenny for sixpence, and have your drink given in. I have not the bast doubt that tho Gaming and Lotteries Act will also afford scope for similar ingenuity. Our small rices are not to be suppressed all at once by Act of Parliament. Two concessions the legislature made even in passing that Bhadamantine meastire. They legalised toUlisators when under the control of racing clubs, and they permitted lotteries for " works of art" under the special license of the Colonial Secretary. The former was a concbssion to the men, the latter to the women. For don't you see the " work of art" clause involves the ■whole question of church bazaars. Sacred cushions, holy smoking caps, and consecrated baby clothes, can all bo raffled by special license as works of art. There ■was for a time a horrible fear that the clauses which imposed a penalty on lotteries of two hundred pounds for a first offence, and six months' imprisonment for a second offence, would be strictly enforced, and that we should be edified by seeing reverend sinnere hauled to prison for breaking it. Some, indeed, were quite prepared to be martyred in defence of that keystone of modern church bazaars, which every one knows is the raffle. Without the raffle tazaars would generally be dead failures, "bub the seductive influence of the lovely syrens who preside over these sacred swindles draws guineas from the pockets of the foolish young bachelors who attend them. Had they their will they would only give sixpences, but once drawn into the fatal Tortex their pockets ai'e speedily turned inside out. They are done brown, but they like to be done, especially when they can enjoy at one and the same time the sweet smiles of the aforesaid syrens and the mild excitement of the lottery. It is hallowed dissipation, sanctioned and time-honored indulgence. Modern church bazaai'3 are a species of carnival, a concession to the weaknesses of mankind. Money must be had — honestly if possible—but it must be had. The awful consequences of church debt have had, as I am credibly informed, a striking exemplification at Port Chalmers, in the sale of a place of worship for a manufactory of gingerpop ! If we would avoid such contingencies money must be had, and bazaars are certainly the most successful mode yet invented, in these days of threepenny bit collections, to produce big sums. Therefore the legislature has been kind, and even the stern Colonial .Secretary not too strict in granting licenses for the disposal of " works of art." We may be quite sure the definition ■will not be too strictly interpreted. Is not anything beautified by a fair lady's fingers a work of art ? Of course it is. While consecrated raffles pay they won't be abolished."