JUVENILE GAMBLERS

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 197, 14 May 1908, Page 8

JUVENILE GAMBLERS

OBSERVATIONS OF A POLICE OFFICER. " THE SCALLYWAG BOOKMAKER." Juvenile betting has been an evil .with which the police hava had to cope for years past, and from inquiries mado of a prominent' police officer by a representative of Tnn Dominion it seems that the evil is moro pronounced just now than it has over been before. The police official, in answer to a question, remarked.that the betting evil is without . doubt ono of the principal causes (f juvenile crime, as well as being the causo of a good deal of adult crime also. According to our informant it is quite a common occurrence for mothers to call upon tho police and complain that their boys are being induced to bet with bookmakers. Demands are mado that tho police should put a stop to tho practice, as it is loading tho children to ruin, some of them youths ill moro or less responsible positions. Tho parents profess that they, live in fear and trembling every day that their misguided offspring will steal their employers' money and bring disgrace upon themselves and their family. It is stated to bo particularly difficult to obtain evidence against the bookmakers. Tho boys who bet naturally refuse to givo information, as they cherish hopes of making a riso by their betting. Further, the betting boys themselves do not want the practice stopped until it is too latp. The lads seem to think it would be moan to inform against bookmakers, and this again makes it all tho more difficult for tho police to prove a case against the silver bettor. In almost every case coming -under tho notice of tho police, tho parents of the offenders aver that thoy have never had any trouble 'with their boys until thoy commenced betting. Tho well-to-do bookmaker?, it is alleged, refuse to do business, with boys, it being generally what is described as the vagrant or lower, class bookmakers who will takb the small boy's half-crown bet.' Some of this class of layer have been known to take oven a shilling bet. "The fearr, o.f the parents I have mentioned," concluded the polico officer, "aro by no means groundless, as experience proves that a! number of young _ fellows. have stolen moiioy. and thus got' into trouble through betting. It is safe to say that those who como boforo us are a small number, compared with the number who have lost their situations en account of tho habit.-' During the pre.sejit week a youth, 15 years of age, was biOught beforo the Juvenile Court oh ; a charge- of the theft of letters. containing chcoiios for £2 lis. 7d., £1 lis. 3d., and £1 2s. Gd., and a postal -note for 10s. from his employer; The _ boy's ' father informed the Court that ■betting, was the cause, of the lad's fall, and the boy himself admitted that this was so.