The Wanganui Chronicle. "Nulla Dies Sine Linea." THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1905. CAMBLING AND ITS ISSUES.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XLIX, Issue 12631, 19 October 1905, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle. "Nulla Dies Sine Linea." THURSDAY, OCTOBER 18, 1905. CAMBLING AND ITS ISSUES.

The review of gambling contained in the charge delivered on Friday last to the Anglican Synod at Auckland by Bishop Neilgan, amd which we reproduce in another part of this issue, is an interesting contribution to the discussion now agitating society. He arrives at the conclusion tihat gambling violates tihe economic, social, and moral laws " by which human life is conditioned," amd that the totalisator phase of the evil in particular is " tihe most abominable machine that ever was invented far turning out citizens who care more for selfishness than for socialism," using the term " socialism " in its broadest and truest sense. The Bishop's utterance has received the complete endorsement of the " New Zealand Heaiald," ooie of the most influential newspapers in tihe colony. "We do nob suppose," says ova* Auckland contemporary, " that the masterly treatment of the gambling question, which will place Bishop Neligan's third charge among episcopalian utterances long to be treasured and quoted in the diocese, will do very much to convince >and convert those who have made up their minds, from whatever reason, that men are bound to. gamble and that consequently it makes very little difference whether gambling is right oor wrong, or how it is done. But the clear and moderate exposition of his views will do what is economically, socially, and morally right, and to bring their own personal conduct as-well as the law of the land into reasonable conformity with righteousness. And it will also help to influence that very great': multitude which, without' appreciating1 any fine distinctions between economics and morals, has got hold of the barditial fact that they really mean very mueli the earn© thing in the end, so far; as they' can be applied to any individual question. However we look at., the inavtef^' for the Anglican Bishop to warn his flock against gambling and to denounce the totalieator in the emphatic terms it so richly deserves, helps greatly in forming a healthy and intelligent public opinion upon what is undoubtedly a growing and pernicious social evil." Our contemporary considers that the reason for this 'modern growth of gambling is to be easily found in modern conditions. In spite of historic proofs that gambling is not a strange thing among British peoples, it cannot be questioned that it has never 'before been popularised and systematise d as it is now. " Public lotteries, drawn at long intervals, were the progenitors of the totalisator, and were incomparably less pernicious in their effects, although they were finally driven to the Continent by that stalwart British" spirit which refusee to palter with public crime when once a public act is realised to be vicious and criminal." It is a curioiis fact tlhat ia journal which can see so clearly the evils which follow in the train of legalised gambling, should remain blind to the greater evils wrought by another legalised evil, to wit, the licensed liquor bars. Here, for instance, ia a piece of argument which, while levelled only at the totalisatcr, applies with equal force to the other nationa 1 vice: —" In all communities, even British communities, there is an element which rejoices in defying law and throwing bricks at policemen. But the great bulk of our British peoples," men and women, -are" essentially and inherently and unquestioningly law-respecting and law-abiding. So that when Parliament threw over the totalisatov the cloak of 'cgality and took a share of the profits in return for this license, thousands of men a.nd women, tens of thousands of lads and las.-os—for did Parliament think t'bere were wise, h-^ads on young shoulders • when such foolish heads wo,re on its old shoulders—reasoned that what was *' lawful " could not possibly be in any way wrong or' harmful, and were made gamblers by that State influence. We may leave to the bishops those most interesting dissertations upon moral? and manners. But we can judge for selves whether a specific thing is good or bad for the community, and the man who does not perceive the curse that has been laid upon our people by the legalisation of the totalisator is either congewitally or wilfully blind. Gambling as gambling we cannct hope to eradicate until we very much alter both human nature and the conditions that both reflect and mould human nature. But we can at least avoid deliberately and rationally encouraging and protecting it, as in the case of the totalisator, towards the speedy abolition of which Bishop Neligan's charge of yesterday will greatly help." J