SYDENHAM WORKING MEN'S CLUB.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10124, 21 October 1910, Page 5

SYDENHAM WORKING MEN'S CLUB.

THE COMMISSIONER'S REPORT. EVIDENCES OF DRUNKENNESS AND GAMBLING. (By Telei?rapn—Press Association.3 CHRISTCHURCH, Last Night. The report of Mr. Riddell, S.M., on the conduct of the Sydenham Working Men's Club has been published. Mr. Riddell states that the weight of the evidence supports the first charge that it had been the practice of the club to allow cards to be played for drinks. Regarding the second charge, that gambling had been allowed,■ Mr. Riddell considers that the practice of the loser in a, game of cards paying for drinks or handing to the winner a ticket at a titling the holder to a drink at a later date amounted to gambling within the meaning of the case Fuller v. Foully (Gazette Law Reports, 575). There was also evidence to show that sweeps were held on big races. The drawing of these sweeps, which was gambling within the meaning of the Gaming Act, had been done with the knowledge of some of the committee of the club. The Commissioner considers that the evidence discloses an abuse of the locker system by a certain section of the.club's members. The weight of evidence tem by aeertain section of the club's supports the charge that drunkenness had been permitted on the premises. The petitioners had failed to prove the charge that liquor had been sold over the bar on Sundays. Upoii the whole, the Commissioner is not prepared to say that the offence of bad language in the club is one of more than ordinary occurrence. As to the charge that the management of the club generally had been bad, the Commissioner considers the evidence on card-playing for drinks, gambling, drunkenness, and the abuse of the locker system shows that there is considerable room for improvement in the club's management.