The Gambling Evil.

Te Aroha News, Volume XIV, Issue 2108, 31 May 1898, Page 3

The Gambling Evil.

A MAGISTRATE’S VIEWS.

In sentencing Ma* ; tin Taylor, John Higgins and Julia Eandall to two months’imprisonment with hard-lab- ." iSStwr for keeping shops for the purpose of betting in Christchurch, Mr Beeth . .pm, S. Mi, said It is not my purpose to enter iuto any lengthy dissertation' upon-the the evils of gambling, except to say that it is an evil which is assuming, in, this community gigantic pro--/portions, and is . rapidly demoralising the youth of • this colony. That the Legislature from the drastic provisions in the'various Acts passed from time to .time in view of its suppression. Dealing recently with offences of this .* description, ,i found it necessary to inflict severe punishment; Experience . showed me that fines were useless, but that when I used the. power of im- ■■ prisonment given by the Act the evil was at once checked. The nefarious and surreptitious practices carried on . by- the defendants in the’cases now ’"before.me are of a much more serious nature than those I recently dealt with. Those 4 tote shops ’ (so called ) <are simply nets spread in . defiance of the law, to ensnare the youth of, the Colony in the vicious practice s o ga übling, to the gain and profit of those persons engaged in the tiaffij. In one of the books seized, I fin 1 bets registered to the number of .l 4CO, extending over ‘the woole colony, of amounts-varying fr m 40s to 2s 6d. The defendants have pursued their illegal calling with the full knowledge y* 4 ;. of the risks: they ran in so doing, and With the facts of recent convictions be - fore them. They must take the con- ; sequences of their actions. The penalties under the eleventh section of the Act are alternative, a fine of £IOO, or six mop,.hs imprisonment with hard labour at-the option of the • -magistrate, Th< y are each sentenced \to /two months’ imprisonment ; with hard labour and ordered to pay the costs of the prosecution—Taylor and Higgins are appealing.