Political.

Clutha Leader, Volume VIII, Issue 408, 5 August 1881, Page 3

Political.

[ Our representatives'" in Parliament •seem to' have had' a good deal. : of. fun .over the Gaming 1 .and Lotteries Bill on Priday night.' ITie" Wellington ■correspondent of the Oainaru Mail . thus .refers to the; matter -:— The Gaming and Lotteries Bill afforded some recreation to members r on Friday I 'night, and considerable amusement was caused by the numerous enquiries of Colonial Secretary Dick as" to the ' meaning of the Chinese game of ' fan-tan.' One after another of the members impressed upon him the necessity of giving full explanations, as' no doubt he knew all about it, ,and badgered him. on all sides. Amidst considerable' "cheering lie" shortly rose, and with signs of conscious ignorance, yet inward satisfaction, protested that he really did not know anything about it. Then numerous questions were .asked, as to who did know, and other members rofe, and each gave delightfullyj/aried descriptions,, each member beseeching the Com mi t tee not to let words pass of which they did : not "know the .meaning, as they might. play 'fan-tan ' without knowing it, whichj in the lightof subsequent a'n'd 'apparently 'authorita-; tive explanation, seemed quite possible, seeing that it is simply termed ''odd' or even.' Mr Ban-on increased the dilemma by moving that ' pakapoo ' he inserted after 'fan -tan.' The Colonial Secretary 'intimated that he did' not know its meaning 1 ,, but thought it a good word, and after the mover had satisfactorily explained that. his knowledge was .us exhaustive of.'' pakapoo 'as that of the Colonial Secretary of fan-tan, the words ware added. ~Mr Barron, however, haviug subsequently stated that the game was rife in Dunedin, and was most pernicious in its effocts upon the rising' generation. Mr Reeves wanted to know if ' Kiss in the ring ' was a game of dunce. .[Mr Jones : Certainly ; it is gambolling. J And then pierced 'the soul of Mr." Hurst, the Auckland rat, and the gentleman who decorated the pig which was exhibited at .the Auckland show, by moving* that, in the clause referring to art- unions and agricultural produce, the word 'rat' be inserted, and asking whether a painted pig should be considered a work of art. The following new clause was then handed round. : — ' That . any person knowingly and wilfully disguising, or causing to be disg-uked, the natural colour of any animal by means of any colouring matter with the object of deceiving the public, shall be. deemed to play at a game of chance within the meaning of this Act. 7 These pleasantries did not, however, prevent good progress being- made with the Bill, which, if it' should pats's,' will be a vigorous and thorough-going attempt to put down gambling, but it is feared that, notwithstanding' all this, the evil will exist. For instance, what is to prevent large suras of money being inVested by /colonists in, Australian .sweeps, or in a sweep being drawn , three miles off the coast 'in a steamer, ,as was done in Victoria.