ART UNIONS

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 114, 17 May 1933, Page 6

ART UNIONS

NATURE OF GAMBLING. (To the Editor.) The request t>y "Anglican" for a clear statement on the nature of .the difference ■between gambling and a business speculation calls for a reply to clear the mind of much confused thought on this problem. I would refer "Anglican" to the definition given in Canon Peter Green's book on "Betting and Gambling , ," in which <hc defines a gamble "as an agreement between - two parties whereby ■the transfer of something of value is made wholly dependent upon chance in such a way that the entire gain of one party is the entire loss of the. other." Herein lies the anti-social nature of gambling. In every form of legitimate- trade there is, or should be, some service rendered to society, some increase of wealth, some benefit to both parties engaged. 11l a, gamble, no man can gain except by .the loss sustained byi tho other party. The Anglican chaplain of a large gaol put the moral argument against gambling well when he stated "that there <aie only three, tilings that justify my taking a pound from anyone. They are. (1) That I 'have given him a pound's worth of something in return, i.e., the law of ■exchange; (2) that I Lave done him a service to the value of a pound, i.e., the law of service; (3) that lie gives it to me freely and willingly to do me a kindness, i.e.,. the law of love." I pass this on in the hope it may shed a little light oil what is to many a very difficult problem. C.A.I' , .