Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, JULY 18, 1896. Good by Act of Parliament.

Manawatu Herald, 18 July 1896, Page 2

Manawatu Herald SATURDAY, JULY 18, 1896. Good by Act of Parliament.

Some of our legislators have lost all faith in everything except an Act of Parliament. The teachings of Ministers of the Gospel, men of experience and family training, are all thought as being nought, and that the colonists have arrived at suoh a pass that only present punishment in the shape of fine and imprisonment 13 likely to be a restriction unto them. This appears a beautiful conceit on the part of our amateur law makers, and the result is the introduction of repressive legislation, unfitted for the advanced state of public opinion. The member for Napier i 3 one of these believers in making everything he objects to illegal. Thus he introduces a Bill to prohibit the use of the totalisator, without in any way preventing betting by. other agencies. Hia Bill renders the owner of a. totalisator as one having, an instrument for gaming or wagering, and the police are empowered to seize and destroy the machines. Any person owning one*, or anyone keeping any house in which a totalisator may be found, is to be liable to a penalty not exceeding^ £6"0. or to imprisonment. Up to the present time the Govefnment'flbt only have sanctioned the publift use of the totalisator, but have found the revenue materially increased by. Cite use, so that, undoubtedly* the owners of such machines have, been encouraged to invest their capital in them. - Consideration for others is not often a bright particular star in the sight of one of these enthusiasts who reform the world by doing away with other people's pleasures, and. therefore though we find the Bill proposes to give a year in which the owners of totalisators may secure an opportunity to dispose of their property, there is no suggestion to recompense them for any loss. It appears slightly strange why Mr Carnell should stop short ol doing good only to New Zealand, for the provision of one year's delay is evidently to give the owners of these machines a chance to sell them elsewhere. Is this right ? or is "it on all fours with the pretentions of virtuousness shown by tho introducer of the Bill. If the totalisator is such a demoralising instrument that it is thought necessary to prohibit it by an Act of Parliament and by fines and imprisonment, it surely cannot, in the mind of the member for Napier, be a good thing to be used elsewhere, and it should, therefore, not be permitted

to be exported. It is po easy to reprove sin, more especially if it is not a favourite one of the reprover, it costs little and is worth as much, the Bill, to be honest in intention, should have a provision by which existing machines should be purchased by the Government and destroyed, and further machines prohibited. There would be an honesty of purpose in such a decision, aa no one would be hurt; the general public, supposed to be gainers by this prohibition, could afford to pay for the improvement in their morals, and the slur of callousness as to the morals of other nations would be avoided. As this would cost money, it is unlikely the sincerity of our reformers would stand such a test. Another excellent member of the House of Representatives, Mr W. Hutchison, at one time known in Wellington as the*~" People's Wil Ham," has a little Bill to still further keep the public away from the broad path that leadeth into danger. His restraint of Incitements to Betting or Wagering Bill, if carried, will make it illegal to make a bet by word of moutb, letter, telegram, circular, or in any other manner. There is to be no odds about any event either in cash or gloves. This is all meant well, but is more suited to other parts than to this, colony.