The Globe. MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1877.

Globe, Volume VIII, Issue 1043, 29 October 1877, Page 2

The Globe. MONDAY, OCTOBER 29, 1877.

The members of both Houses oi Assembly have been very much exer■ised lately on the subject of lotteries. As will have been seen, one or two 'ionorables from Canterbury mad> rather strong speeches on the matter "here can be no doubt, we think, oi !he wisdom of some repressive legis lation in this matter. Not so much perhaps in Canterbury, but on the West Coast the system of sweeps has assumed very large proportions. Wherever this is the case there is sure to be great temptation not alone to crime but also to men to risk far more money than they can afford. Here the system is mainly confined to the carnival week, and has not reached the extent it has done on the West Coast. Still it cannot be denied that as fostering a gambling spirit in the people it should be checked. The most peculiar phase, however, in the discussion on the Bill in the Legislative Council is, that an attempt was made to exclude lotteries got up for church purposes from the operation of the Bill. For the credit alike of Eeligion and the Legislature of the colony the attempt failed. If there is one species of gambling more distasteful than another it is that which, under the specious guise of being for the good of the church, is so often seen in connection with bazaai-s, &c. It seems to us that the furthest limit of hypocrisy is reached when the very same persons who denounce in no measured terms from the pulpit the sin of gambling, yet look on with complacency, nay even assist, at ratH.es in connection with a bazaar. With what consistency can such a course as this be defended, and what weight will their words of warning and admonition possess ? We are glad to bear testimony to the fact that some religious bodies have consistently and determinedly set their face against such a thing, and have not allowed any gambling to take place in connection with bazaars held by them, it is to be hoped their example will be more generally followed should the Bill not become law. We do not know whether the honorable gentleman moving the addition of the clause excepting church lotteries did so of his own motion or by request. At any rate the rejection of it will remove what has often been a sta'n on the purity of the Christian religion, and it is sincerely to be hoped that those in authority will in future determinedly set their face against such a practice.

It is with satisfaction we notice that the G overnment are about to take into consideration the system of payment of special jurors. At present, whether a case lasts an hour or a week, the payment is still the same, viz., one guinea. As the very name implies the gentlemen serving on special juries are selected for their business ability, education, &c. To take them therefore from the conduct of large and important businesses, perhaps involving many thousands of pounds, for a week, is a very serious matter. As the cost of the jury falls upon the litigants and not upon the country, it seems to us right that some return, however inadequate, should be made to the gentlemen thus taken from their business. If it were a matter where the jurors had in the interests of public justice to sacrifice something, we should not feel called upon to say anything, because in the interests of the public, private ones to a certain extent must suffer. But it is not so. Two litigants desire to have the services of able and experienced men of business —experts they may be called —to settle some intricate matters of dispute between them. Well, this being the case, they should be prepared to pay them fairly for their services; at any rate something more commensurate with the work done and loss sustained than at present. We hope therefore to see the proposed alteration carried out and payment made per diem instead of as now per case. There is no temptation to protract the cases, as the sum paid per day is, compared to what gentlemen in the position of special jurors can earn, quite insignificant. But as a matter of fairness, the payment as contemplated will be a much needed reform.