Gambling and Excursions

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 114, 8 February 1937, Page 10

Gambling and Excursions

Sh-, —It is a matter-of very great regret that tlie Labour Government has decided to keep on with these detestable “art unions,” absourdly so named, and also with the Sunday railway excursions. The police are actively endeavouring to put down gambling in what are called common gaming houses, and more power to them. But what difference is there between poker or dice in a common gaming house, two-up on the Castlecliff sandhills, or bookmaking in a barber’s shop and buying an art union ticket in the street? From the moral point of view there is no- difference whatever. And. for that matter, between any one of these and totalisator betting there is not the slightest difference in the realm of morals. The whole of them are out to take the other fellow’s money for nothing and the two last mentioned are legalised, while the other three are not.

Recently a man up Auckland way won £50,000 on the Melbourne Cup, and how his win was advertised 1 And envied 1 And what luck he was thought to have had! The individual in that case seems to be a sensible and kind-hearted chap, but when a young man captures a big prize—or even a comparatively small one —he is in great danger of becoming a confirmed gambler. And now for Sunday excursions. A few hundred excursionists get into a train for a Sunday outing. They have with them an engine-driver, a stoker, a guard, and very probably an assistant guard. The stationmaster is there and his whole staff of ticket sellers and all the other station officers, all of whom are entitled to their Sunday rest and can’t get it.

But it is not railway servants alone who lose their Sunday rest on account of these excursions. Let us suppose that a Sunday train lands 250 people at the Wanganui railway station. Tearooms, caterers, marble bars, taxi hirers, all of whom usually have it fairly quiet on Sundays, have their full staffs at work, all to swell the railway income. Is it a fair thing? It is not. And is there any need for it? The Labour Government have brought in a five-day week and men are standing about the streets not knowing what to do with themselves on Saturdav mornings. Why not get a good early start with a Saturday excursion, away to Wellington, New Plymouth, Palmerston, Hawera, or Feihling? And back home before midnight, and all have a good long sleep on the day of rest? Church at 10.30 or 11, as the case may be. Those of us who have a regard for th® sacredness of the Sabbath can’t get any benefit from these summer excursions, but if they were held on Saturday we could all go, and a good admixture of Sabbath-keepers would be a welcome addition to the respectability of the crowd. —I am, etc.,

JAMES AITKEN. [Abridged for reasons of space.—Editor.]