"FAN-TAN."

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XVI, Issue 183, 3 August 1881, Page 4

"FAN-TAN."

j The following is from the Post's " Essence of Parliament " :■ — Immediately following the totaliiator clause waa an innocent little provision which read thus:—" The Chinese game, known as ' Ean-Tan,' or any similar game is hereby declared to be a game of chance within the meaning of this Act." Members generally displayed the most lamentable ignorance on the subject of this most interesting gam«, and no sooner was the clause arrived at than half-a-dozen hon. members jumped up and pressed the unhappy Colonial Secretary to " lighten their darkneea " as to the nature of fan-tan. 7 torn Mr Dick's attitude it was afe once wen that tbis was a " poser," for he buried hie face ia his hands and seemed to undergo frightful mental anguish. Mr Bowen didn't think fan-tan was worse than lop, and thought it would be well if the Minister in charge of the Bill would explain what the former gametwaß; Mr Speight was sorely afraid of having his morals corrupted by the definition ot this unrighteous game, and h© expressed a hope that the Minister would not make an explanation, as it might contaminate the purity of hon. members ; Mr George wanted the term defined in the interpretation* clause ; Mr Levestam prayed the Colonial Secretary to educate him on the subject; Mr Bryce believed fan-tan was the Chinese for chess ; Mr Beeves had his doubts as to whether it wasn't similar to kiss in the ring, which was decidedly a game of chance, and he begged the Minister i in charge of the Bill to postpone the ! clause till he had ascertained what j really waa the nature of the game; finally, Mr Barron implored Mr Dick in plaintive tones to relieve the painful suspense of hon. members, and give a lucid explanation of this dreadful Chinese game. Upon this the Colonial Secretary slowly and solemnly rose, amid roars of laughter, and said : " Sir, I beg to inform honorable membars I don't know what it is. (Groat laughter) I have inquired, but can get no satisfactory answer. It is not the oniy clause by many that I have had to take upon trust, as far as my own knowledge goes. I have no doubt the potent, grave, and reyerend seigniors in ' another place ' have carefully considered the matter before send ing the Bill down here." Mr Brown was led to believe — or said he was, which amounts to the same thing — that Mr Dick could not :be in the confidence of Ministers, because it was usual for the Government Bills to be carefully considered in Cabinet ere they were brought before Parliament. Mr. Speight took it for granted that as the Colonial Secretary didn't understand the interesting game of fan-tan, all reference to it would have to be omitted from the clause; but he was anxious for an explanation of the meaning, of the succeeding words "or any other similar game." Mr. Dick did not condescend to explain, but Dr. Wallis, who is a man of vast and varied experience, came to the rescue with an explanation of the game itself. His explanation was not quite clear to the uninitiated, but some of our readers might be able to make something of it. It was to this effect:— A lot of Chinese stood around a table on which a lot of counters were thrown down; Then one Chinaman swept all the counters np except one, and it depended on which corner of thetable that counter was nearest who won. Mr. Seymour George also undertook to explain what fan-tan was ; but as he described it as merely a game of "odd or even" with counters, the House preferred to accept Dr. Wallis's more technical and learned decription. Several other members advised the Colonial Secretary to postpone the clause till he got some definite information on the subject upon which he sough t ! o legislate, but eventually the clause was passed with an addition, making "Stcbaokpool" (another pretty little Chinese game) a game of chance within the meaning of the Act. It is singular that no in formation was given or askeHTn regard to this Celestial pastime.