MINISTERIAL PARTICIPATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2896, 15 September 1909, Page 57

MINISTERIAL PARTICIPATION.

MR TAYLOR'S PROTEST.

(Fboic Ops Owk Correspond rkt.)

CHRISTCHURCH. September 9. At a public meeting this -evening. th» chairman (Mr T. JE. Taylor, M.P., re-, ftrred to the opening of the TatersaU% Club in Wellington" and the attendance; of the Acting Prime' Minister and hi»< colleague the Minister ot Railways afcs that function.

"I believe," said Mr Taylor, "that every decent man and woman in New, Zealand will view with disffust and resentment the action of the Acting Prime Minister of this country and the Minister of Railways in going to thb opening of^ Tattersall's Club and giving the weight! of their Ministei'ial position to the support of the twin evil of drinking. I refer to the gambling evil. As private citizens they count for a littlt more than nothing, but clothtd in the role of Ministerial responsibility they stand for much. I say that they failed in their; sense of responsibility to the poiitioij they occupy. They outraged all th<| decent sentiment of this country in* giving their active support and endorsement to these bookmakers. I hope that the daj will come whtn the will b* outlawed and will have to turn to wor|i instead of making his living by imposing on the foolish people of the community; If he will not work, he should be pa willy nilly into a labour gang and mad to earn his bread. The action of thta two Ministers makes me regret that thj Prime Minister should be out of tli country, because I am perfectly sure Si Joseph Ward Would have prevented thfe« from disgracing the Liberal party as th^j have done and outraging the religion sentiment of this country." '^

CABINET MINISTER'S ACTION CRITICISED.

(Fbou Oub Otth Cokrespondent.)

AUCKLAND. September 11.

The action of the Eon. Mr Millar an the Hon. Mar Carroll, in speaking as the did at Tattersall's Club, in Wellington is arousing protest her«- 22m Serald thj

morning says : — " The action of the Act- ' ing Prime Minister and the Minister of Railways in attending the opening of Tatter sal Is Club, in Wellington, constitutes such a grave public scandal that we compelled to support the protest which is being made. Only a short time ago [the Government prosecuted, and secured a conviction against, a small publication which had published betting odds, yet members of the Government openly , patronise and encourage a club largely composed of professional bookmakers, whose business consists of betting. We 'do not doubt that many bookmakers wish to carry on their business as fairly as is -possible under all the circumstances, but the fact remains thatjthe business is a bad •one, and that the better influences in the .Btate are being directed against it. The action of iiie Ministers in question forces us to ask whether the Government is sincere in it? attitude towards tfce gambling evil, for it is quite impossible to regard their attendance at the club opening as other .than an expression of sympathy with -an evil which the Govemimont professes to be desirous of abating. ISvery judge and every magistrate agrees in denouncing facilities and opportunities for, gambling as particularly dangerous to -jdutn, and as the direct cause of many lapses into crime. What excuse, then L-cari be offered for this Ministerial- endorsement of the gambling evil as represented -by such clubs? j