Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, DEC. 6, 1898. Gambling.

Manawatu Herald, 6 December 1898, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, DEC. 6, 1898. Gambling.

The old saw of what is one man'p meat is another man's poison, holds good in the case of gambling. The ove of risking something on a :hance that will bring us a large measure of profit h bred in all of us, and becomes developed, the same an toy other excess will become de veloped, by the too great indulgence in our pleasure. We all inve just a -bare of the spice of human nature which makes us eDJoy a thing, nor bpcause it is wicked as some great person described the pleasure oi doing something out of the common hut because it is a novelty. Thenhas been a terrible outcry raised in Wellington at a firm of drapers who introduced an element of chance in me of their schemes for attracting tttention to their goods, and they were severely handled for causing he latent idea of gambling to become iroused in the minds of those who ook an interest in these proceeding-. Of course if any member of the firm had been holding forth on the evils •f gambling to the extent seme of mr rather too earnest reformers do, we should Fay that the exhibition of the mote that was in their own eye, was deserved. Of this we know nothing. Gambling is a terrible »vil, and far too much indulged in by colonists, an excuse probably being found in the fact that the life •f the older colonists has been a huge gamble, or chance, from the •lay they first set foot on these shores, md the " luck " and the excitement has* descended to their children, who have more greatly developed the true gambling spirit without advancing the other good points of the old oioneers oi push and pluck. It is ■"tranpe how muoh is said about and how much gambling is condoned if undertaken for purposes of a number instead of a single <ndividua], though, what evil there to, is just as much whether done ■»ingly or collectively. All churches are strong in their denunciation oi gambling, yet nearly all are ready to concede a gamble, if funda for a •hurch are to be raised. This is not iR it pbould be, but it emphasizes the fact that Ministers of religion understand how fixed in the mind i-> he. desire to gamble, and how such a scheme brings in money hard to x'ract from the pockets of their congregations by any other mean* The colony would, no doubt, be letter if the people did not bet on 'amp** of any chance, an they would be if they did not smokp, or drink beer, or eat to much of strong meats. Phpfjp matters havo to bo left to thp individual taste and so will gambling, he only thing that can be done to 'vmpdy matters is by the force of c iching and example. It is almost nonsense to say that in some <tohem'R of ch<mce participation in them either shows a gambling spirit or will actually lead the participator to the road to ruin. Oar schoolboy olrtV every winter the game of maibles, openly, before their parents «nd teacher", y*t this is both a game of pki'l and luck and chanoo, yet no reproof is given. When the

"•mall boy grows wp a:. < playa another i?»rae like marbUv -q a table for rannpy hf is gambling, yet. the Btna'l boy played for value at marble aa he tapt the loser's property. We hay* another instance of inconsistency ato gambling shown by our own government, who prohibit the «dverti-ing in the colonial papers of (he "sweeps" held in Tasmania, nut they gladly accept the money for the postage of the circulars of the -wpep promoters, and thus use the colonial post office to deliver into every house inducements for the members of the family to gamble. To radioally effeot a cure we must, find precept and practise working together* and Ministers of our churches must not forbid action in one case and wi»k at it in another. As some very fine distinctions are aitempted to be drawn as to what is a gamble, we take the following definition from the Century Die ton,uy :— •• To play at any game of hazard for a stake ; risk money or anything of value on the issue of a game of chance, by either playing or beMing on the play of others ; hence to engage in financial transactions or -peculations dependent for success chiefly upon chance or unknown contingencies." Tbia puts the ;' Iran tub." ** fairy well," " guespjug competitions " so much in vogue in church bazaars, distinctly under the head of gambling. In this colony we have had our share of legislation to put down gambling with the astonishing result that the people are Baid to be more inclined to gamble now than ever they were. Though this may sound strange we find it U merely a matter of history a 9 the first instalment of restrictions to gaming dates back from the year 1541 The early Briton 3 were demoralised, in this respect, by the Saxons who conducted their gambling to such a point that the loser if he had not the whert-with-all to pay np became a slave to the winner. However much of the old blood may rftill course through our veins, there has been a spice of caution added thereto, as most of the gambling needs the production of ready money, he other, but as yet not so styled, gambling, of the storekeeper who parts with his goods on credit on the chance of getting paid, not being viewed in the same cautious manner. It will be seen that we hold strong views as to the disadvantages attending gambling, just as we do hold views on the disadvantages arising from the excessive use or abuse of anything, but the means to persuade those who do enter into such speculations not to do so, mnat be different to those now employed. Though we all do foolish things none of us ike to be told so, or even o think that we do, but gambling is one of the most stupid forms of amusement, for it cannot, except to the promoters, be looked upon as a business, that can ba indulged in with profit. It mupt be evident to every participator that a certain portion of the money invested is absolutely lost, a tenth part, added r.o which is the likehood of the whole amount having gone for ever. Gamblers are supposed to be interested in the doctrine of chances nad thus it is surprising to see so many sending their money away on what must be but a forlorn hope of over seeing it back again. The greatest amount, and the greatest evil, in gambling, is that of buying tickets in the " sweeps " conducted outside of the colony, as whatever large sums the promoters make, and "TattersaH" la reported to have made a commission of £18,700 on the Gup sweeps alone, goes ta reduce the capital of the colony, anil however fair such sweeps may be .carried out, and agreeing that a proportionate share of the winnings come to the colony, we can easily see that for every £1000 sent away no* more than £900 will return, if so much. The fact remains that we have only r,o increase our expenditure to a point when we should all be mined. These " sweeps " are moat uninteresting, you pay your money for a ticket, but you have no choice, no seleotion, and no exercise of even a very small discrimination, you hand over 20 shillings to Mr Adams and he will give some one eighteen shillings of it, the simplicity of the transaction is beautiful, and >he profit, to Me Adams, is amazing. Surely it can be truly said " What fools we really be."