A WORKING MEN'S CLUB

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIII, Issue 165, 21 October 1910, Page 8

A WORKING MEN'S CLUB

STIPENDIARY .MAGISTRATE'S REPOItT. By Telegraph.—Pre® Association. Christchurch, Last Night. The report of .Mr. Riddell, S.M., on the conduct of the Sydenham Working .Men's Club has been published. Ik, states that the weight of evidence supports the first charge that it had heeu the practice of the club to allow cards to be I 1'". yed lor drinks. IJegarding the second charge that gambling had been allowed—Mr. Kiddell considers the practice of the loser in a game of cards paying for drinks or handing to the winner a ticket entitling the holder to a drink at a later date, amounted to gambling within the meaning of Fuller 4, Fouhy 7, Gazette Law Reports 373. There was also evidence to show that sweeps were held ou big races, and the drawing of these sweeps was gambling within the meaning 0 f the Gaming Act, and that this had been done with the knowledge of some of the committee of the Club. The Commissioner considers the evidence discloses abuse of the locker system by a certain section of the club's members. The weight of the evidence supports the charge that drunkenness had been permitted on the premises. Petitioners failed to nrove the charge that liquor had been so!d over the bar on Sunday. Upon the whole, the Commissioner was unprepared to say that the offence of bad language in the Club is one of more than ordinary occurrence; and as to the charge that the management of the Club was generally bad, the Commissioner considers the evidence on card playing for drinks, gambling, drunkenness and abuse of the locker system, shows fhere is considerable room for improvement in the club's management. Persistent rumors are current that the Sydenham Workingmen's Club, as the result of a magisterial enquiry, has been called on to show cause 'why its charter should not be revoked. ' The charter is a license to sell liquor, in connection with which evasions of the Licensing Act were alleged. The charges included the adoption of the locker system, card playing for drinks, and excessive drinking. The Minister for Internal Affairs (the Hon. D. Buddo) told a. New Zealand Times reporter that he could make no communication on the subject, as the matter was still under consideration pending a reply to a request by the Department for an explanation by the club of certain matters. Meanwhile, arrangements have been made by the club's officers to wait on the Minister as a deputation on Saturday. This is regarded as confirmation of the reports regarding the fate of the charter.