RACING SWEEPS.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIV, Issue 9662, 26 October 1882, Page 2

RACING SWEEPS.

When moving the second reading in the Victorian Parliament of a Bill to suppress racing sweeps, Mr Fisher said — "He was not one of those who thought they could make people virtuous by Act of Parliament, but he did think legislation could render people better They had imposed certain legislative restrictions on the drinking habits of "the j community, and he thought the principle might be extended to gambling, which was more hurtful to body and soul than could possibly be conceived. With regard to the special form of gambling with which the Bill was intended to deal, he would point out that in these sweeps the windfalls came to very few, the rest being left out entirely. Prom a little book published by a professional

sweepmaker it appeared that the amount | received and disbursed by him during - the last year was £52,000, which at ten per cent commission meant sd income _-- of over £5000 for the twelve months, a much' larger -sum than that paid to the Chief Justice, of the colony. About race times there was quite' a run upon Building Societies, Savings Banks, and other societies, where persons invested their earnings, '' . in order that they might obtain inpney to put into these sweepsl From 'a'lcalpulation which had been made, it appeared that nearly £250,000 was spent annually in -Melbourne in. these sweeps,; and this large sum came, not from' those., who could afford to throw -rawayj. a -pound, but from the savingsof our working men.' The measure pro-ride's that persons advertising sweeps' shall- he liable to a penalty under the Police' Offences Statute, and the productioh'of letters as to betting and wagers shall b"e!deeme(lj)rMna > / r aci'e evidence of such advertising.; . Every house where a box or^e&ptacle'is l?ept for the purpose of reojßJjVjng^letters an respect to any sweep,;'<orj where, the' results of any drawing are published, is deemed a gaminghouse under- the Act, and the penalty for keeping, such.is provided in section 6 of the Pojice OfEences_ Statute. ; Persons purchasing .or 'Ixaving tickets in any siveep are also liable, and keeping betting or gaming- boxes under fraudulent names is made a misdemeanour.