STARTS LOTTERIES.

Wairarapa Age, 31 March 1920, Page 4

STARTS LOTTERIES.

In arguing in favour of State lotterites, a West Coast contemporary says:— Th 6 totalisator seems to be a perfectly fair method of gambling, but is it the case? The machine undoubtedly does not cheat, but there is no guarantee that all the horses that start in a race are triers. Those who are familiar with the racecourse know that many an apparently live-bodied horse is "dead." The Government knows all these facts, and should therefore endeavour to give tie people an opporttfjfty of satisfying their gambling "instinct, and this can best be done by issuing free prize bonds carrying handsome prizes. This has been done with great success in France and other countries, and the revenue of these place has benefited considerably. For examplej supposo the New Zealand Government wished to raise £20,000,000 at 5 per cent. If this was done in the ordinary manner it would dbst the country £1,000,000. By issuing the loan as a big lottery, one-half the interest charge could be offered in prizes. We are quite certain that if prizes amounting to £500,000 annually were promised there would bo a great rush of subscribers. The matter should be discussed when Parliament meets, and the question- should be thoroughly threshed out. The "fact must be faced that people will gamble no matter what legislation the Government may place on the Statute Book. The question then remains whether advantage cannot betaken of the gambling: spirit in the people to assist- in paying our war debts. .