JOTTINGS BY THE WAY.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 1939, 14 March 1885, Page 2

JOTTINGS BY THE WAY.

a, From the Citizen, It is impossible not to moralise. Upwards [of thirty-eight thousand pounds passed through the totalisator during the three days races in Forbury. This is to say, if I am hot mistaken, that at least fifteen hundred or two thousand persons went to the "round with two or three pounds in their pockets, and a large majority of them returned with as many shillings. If the money had been legitimately expended it would have gone to the butcher, the baker, and the grocer,. while these very likely must now go without. The Jockey Club have made a harvest on the totalisator, and have done so little for it that an unfortunate man was badly crushed in getting to the instrument ; a few persons have made some money; and many have lost greatly more than they can spare. Ido not know if such a system is considered wicked or not but to my poor apprehension in must at least ba regarded as fearfully foolishness. While the social reformer bewails the inequitable distributation of wealth, and is casting about for remedies, here are numbers of the people themselves—the chief sufferers running in quite the contrary direction. Thirty-eight thousand pounds! Why, such a sum would go so far in improvement, that a thousand honest workmen might, by its wise use, have decent houses to dwell in.

And thou the drink bill of the three race days,—how much was it? No returns aro available, but one can easily make a rough estimate. Take the average attendance erch day vt 4000 persons and allow the modest drink expenditure of half-a-crown a-pieee, and wo arripe at a sum of £1,500 for the three days. 1 shall be told that numbers did not drink at all- Some, doubtless, did not drink, but those were the smallest immbor. Even the ladies siclped champagne and that is a costly beverage. Speaking under correction, I feel almost sure that the drink exdenditure is underestimated at £1,500. And it is utterly indefensible. One is tempted to echo the words of a clergyman of the old school ill Scotland. His congregation v.as largely made up of hard working weavers, who, when prices were good, spent their money not wisely, but too liberally, and he quaintly prayed that they might "get less siller or mair sense" 1 should be sorry to see less "siller" but surely a larger modicum of sense is very desirable, This is not a teetotal quesiion ; it is one of prudeuce and the fftness of things, Neither is it a question of amusement,' —' I stand up for all innocent amusements, and would not draw the line too tightly, —lt is the debauch of to'day followed by the absolutely certain headache of tomorrow.