THE POST-OFFICE AND THE GAMBLERS.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3552, 27 November 1882, Page 4

THE POST-OFFICE AND THE GAMBLERS.

A number of the intending subscribers to " Ada Mantus's " and " Zoo Jumbo's " consultations, residing at Auckland and Dunedin, were nicely caught by the postal authorities. It appears that last year several complaints were made to the Auckland Post-Office authorities of letters containing money addressed to promoters of sweeps never having reached their destination. As these money letters were not registered, the postal authorities were unable in all cases to prove delivery. This year Mr Biss, the Chief Postmaster, Auckland, suggested to the Postmaster-general that these missives to promoters of sweeps, reasonably suspected of containing money, should be compulsorily registered under the Act as containing valuables. This would protect the public by securing certain delivery of the letters, and also relieve the post-oflico from uncalled for aspersions. The Postmaster-General adopted the recommendation. In one week alone 270 letters were so registered in Auckland (containing notes to the amount of nearly £3000) addressed to promoters of sweeps. In some cases the letters contained from ten to twenty £1 notes, being forwarded as ordinary letters, and -with regard to the non-delivery or non-receipt of which the senders could have had no remedy. It is grossly wrong that such temptations should be placed by the general public, through their mania for gambling, in the way of the under officials of the Postal Department charged with tho distribution of such letters. "Ada Mantua" and "Zoo Jumbo" were too wary to take delivery of these registered letters, as they would have furnished legal evidence for their prosecution for a breach of the Gaming and Lotteries' Act. The consequence was that the missives went to the Dead Letter Office, where tbe notes were carefully taken out and paid into tbe Colonial Exchequer. The would -be investors ara now trying to get their cash back, and in time with the exercise of patience they will succeed. The Post-office Department is now sending the original envelopes covering the '.enclosure of notes to the addresses of the several senders, with a request that they will describe the contents thereof, and on doing so accurately, the money, or cheques, or orders, will be forwarded to the transmitter. So that if these would-be investors have loss their chance of drawing Assyrian, they will have at least the consolation of getting their own money back (less the registration fee), which is more than some of their coadjutors can say. This matter reveals the terrible amount of gambling which takes place, and also the careless way in which people deal with money.—N.Z. Herald.