THE TOTAIISATOR AND GAMBLING.

NZ Truth, Issue 127, 23 November 1907, Page 2

THE TOTAIISATOR AND GAMBLING.

"Spreader" writes : The apathy of the public to concerns of vital interest, admits of no doubt. In politics or prejudice, they resemble nothing; so "' much. As a mob of sheep, as regards ■ following' 'a "'hind lead" without a thought. Gambling and its concomitant evil has been loom-

ing m the public eye, Rreater, within the last two or three years than heretofore. A certain section of the community have an idea that horseracing is a wild, woolly, unholy, immoral game, without a single virtue, a 'thing to be wiped off the face of the earth. This section is a very, small minority m reality, but. by enlarging on the evils of racing—of which some certainly exist— and showing a pig-headed ignorance of any „ redeeming features connected with this branch of -the sport, they manage to secure a following. The man who .ruins his family and himself through gambline: comes under the' same category as a dipsomaniac or an opium smoker; he has the 'habit, and is an irresponsible, \ whom both the . legitimate bookmakers and the racing proprietaries could weir do without. There is at present a tendency to lessen the liberty of the subject by . men 'actually put m power, by the only 1 fair rule on earth, "majority .rule." A man, be vhe a 'navvy or a, prince, Haying a pound to spare, should be allowed to spend it his own way, provided he does no actual harm with it. Let the prince have a flutter at", the consols and the navvy a cut at "two-up."- They are both a gamble only . m a • metaphorical sense, one is a spade and the other an implement of- agriculture.'

. : The\;totalisatof has solved' the .problem: pf ; . h<#v to, give big. stakes.,^ and hag: ln' a'&reat measureV^eane^.,; the raeecouo^y _ v pf thi* ; - Vk^essine; fraternity.." Racing should fcoine under .direct 'Government; supervision, atid, like' the Stock #xpha'nge; each club should be made to. show a balancesheet'to a member of the €ro\ 7er.nment; and likewise be made to im-' ptove the-. course, and' grounds according to the year If' 'profits or revenue.

Racing is dubbed the "Sport bf •Kings.. "•■'£><)■ undoubtedly it is, but .for that .very same reason it, should 1 ' be permissable to the working man, #ho, ifi 'the long run,- is the mairivlio keeps it- 'going-. ; A 5s tote js what .■is/_..ba^lyj_iree4ed..b.n all "ticw '2,ealan,>d Courses. - 1 It woui'a pay the clubs, m the long run,'" as;nia,ny-, punters eM- L hot afto.r<i a£l m most 1 cases, and' ; unless' they have the luck' to gejb;ln-, to a- sub-sweep they' can't bacli;their'faricv'/ tjnles's the public wakes, up' m time',: and cbfhbSts some, of the' ihiquitou.s.""measure's. Shortly to .come before^ Parliament, this .country will come Hinder; so strict an aegis ...th?(.t all sfc)oi:t will ' be practicaliy cripni-i ed : 'the' 'blood stbck^'will be ;wqrth riotliirie; as/ a,n asset,'Xand we will pto-' bablv sec 'Prdsser, '• Davies^ Wilson, ■ and Co.' running' a Band of Hopfe, or ; /roirig as- messengers to China' 6i Fiji, •" ■ - : "' : -"' ' v; ';; '