GAMBLING IN THE COLONIES.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3802, 21 September 1883, Page 4

GAMBLING IN THE COLONIES.

One can scarcely estimate aright (says Dr. Stephenson in his "Notes of Australasia") the degree to Avhich gambling and its associations are recognised and patronised by the community at large unless one trios to measure and Aveigh the meaning of "Cup Day" at Melbourne. It is a part of the great race meeting of tho year, and is in Australian life all that the " Derby " is in the life of England, and far more. It is calculated that 150,000 persons gather for tho occasion, and this in a colony whose entire population is not 900,000, nnd on a continent Avhere tho entire Avhito population is much loss than 3,000,000. Of course the day is a general holiday, though it is not legally so, and tho attendance at the racecourse includes a large proportion of church-going people. Strange tales are told of the extravagance of tho toilettes exhibited on tho occasion. But, turning to pastimes more innocent, one cannot help feeling that they occupy too great a place in tho thought and heart of the community. Attention enough in England has been devoted of late years"to physical education, and it is hard to imagine anything much more foolish and extravagant than some of the football follies which have been recently perpetrated in Lancashire and Yorkshire. But tho worship of muscle has attained far larger proportions in the colonies than here. Tho ancient Persian notion of education Avas " to ride, to shoot, and to tell the truth." In tho last the colonial is neither much better nor much Avorse than his Old-World cousin, but in the tAvo former he is far ahead of him, and Avould delight the most exacting Persian sage. Tho lads learn to lido almost as soon as they learn to Avalk, and foAvling-pieces may bo seen in the hands of children avlio in tho Old Country Avould scarcely be entrusted Avith a popgun. Then the climate favours, _ almost compels, an outdoor life, so that it is not very Avonderful that the greatest heroes of the Australian people aro the heroes of the bat and ball. The "Australian cricketers" returned from their successful tour in England whilst I was in the colonies. Their reception could not have been more elaborate, enthusiastic, or expensive if they had discovered the North Pole, or if they had been conquerors in some groat Avar. Triumphal entries, torchlight processions, public banquets, medals, and other compliments Avere showered upon them. And even after every alloAvance had been made for the natural pride Avhich tbe young colonies tako in a chosen body of their stalwart sons avlio had successfully met their English competitors in tho national game, one could not but see that tho extravagance of tbeir welcome was owing to an excessive estimate of physical sports.