LEGAL GAMBLING.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 9299, 29 July 1901, Page 4

LEGAL GAMBLING.

There is one aspect of the totalisator question which seems to be overlooked by those who advocate the continuance of the existing gambling monopoly. In considering it let us assume for the purpose of argument that their contentions as to the necessity for providing for the gambling spirit are correct—that as mankind are so determined to gamble it is the duty of the State to regulate the practice, so as to make it as unobjectionable as possible. Then from that point of view some radical alteration of the existing law is needed to prevent the general public being swindled. To illustrate what we mean we may recall the fact that Parliament professes to be very anxious lest borrowers should 1 pay to lenders more than a certain rate of interest. To ensure this all kinds of doubtful experiments have been entered upon, including pledging the credit of the whole community to enable landowners to get a point or two to windward of the money market. If, then, that be justifiable, and if, as is alleged, it is the duty of the State to foster a gambling monopoly iv order to protect the wagering public from bookmakers, it is also the duty of the State to see that the so-called "commission" payable in regard to the machine is not exorbitant. Why, for instance, if the State must provide an outlet for the gambling propensity, does it allow those who take advantage of it to be mulcted in ten per cent of the money invested ? And this does not nearly state the problem. Last year there was over a million pounds " put through," TJiat sum represents to a large degree money circulated several times. We have seen it arcjued that a million would really stand for a quarter of that sum as the actual betting capital. Well, we have our doubts about the validity of this reasoning, which in its bearing upon the question of " Why trade is dull ?" is worthy of thorough investigation, but assuming it to be correct what does it prove? Simply that the owners of this money paid forty per cent commission for the privilege of using the State gambling machine. A quarter of a million pounds was divided among the wagerers, and for dividing it the clubs and the Government between them received a hundred thousand pounds. Does it not seem selfevident, iE it be necessary for the State to run a gambling contrivance, in order to meet the public determination to gamble, that it should be run on something less than a forty per cent basis ? IE the arguments of those who support the totalisator are worth the proverbial rush, it is the duty of the Government to take the business into its own hands and run it on a moderate tariff of commission.

General cables and telegraphic appear on page two, Transvaal war news on page three, "Political Points" and an article entitled "Civilising China" on page six, and sporting, football," and golf on the seventh. Mr J. Lang, who proceeded to the scene of the Lizzie Bell disaster tc make enquiries concerning the identity of D. Lang, one of the sailors who were drowned, identified >the body as that of his brother. The many friends of Sergeant Andrew Petersen, of Napier, who went to South Africa with the Seventh Contingent, will regret to learn that he has been seriously wounded in the abdomen during an engagement n9ar Vereeniging, on the Vaal River, on the 24th inst. A copy of the petition praying the Government to construct a line of railway between Napier and Wairoa has been left at Mr J. W. Craig's shop, and all interested in the question are invited to sign it. To-morrow (Tuesday), commencing at 11 o'clock, Messrs Sidey and Co. will submit to auction the whole of the stock, plant, and machinery as contained in the workshops .in the assigned estate of Messrs J. Fryer and Co., when the various lots will be sold absolutely without reserve. During a warm discussion in the House on the Land for Settlements Bill Mr Laorenson remarked : " There are three things that seem to set this House in blazes—religion, rum, and land." At the Magistrate's Court this morning, before Mr A. Turnbull, S.M., William Double was fined 53, with costs 7s, for driving a spring cart without sidelights through the town between sunset and sunrise.—For keeping an unregistered dog Michael Deonehy was fined 2s, with costs 12s 6d. —John Thomson Neilson, person, was convicted of having entered licensed premises and fined £1, with costs 7a, in default one week's imprisonment. The Queen's Park sports at Invercargill —or, rather, the promise of sports, for there actually were no sportsrealised no less a sum than £356 11s 4d on the day of the reception of the Fourth and Fifth Contingents.

The approaching visit to Napier of Blusgrove's Grand Opera Company is creating the uioal lively interest in musical circles,, and it is expected that within a few hours after the booking office opens every reserved seat will be taken. In connection with the equipment of the company's splendid orchestra it may be mentioned that the instruments were specially ordered by Mr Musgrove from Messrs Havvkea and Son, of London. They are very fine samples, and have been made to the new low pitch, known as the " Philharmonic, 1896,", and, £jye 339 vibrations ' to^> j^ r MuS/vi'c-ve also Jiact a S§h 81 military band insfcrutnenta specially iSmti ■. lis use on the stage. These will be WjS Hi "Faust," which is the opera chosen (ot t6pft&\ ne , re - ** is stated that Mr Musgrefe'epe'n'ii i? 20,000 in preliminaries before th(? Auftajil rose upon his first grand opera Australia. . ' \

On Saturday evening the staff of Mr W. Kinross Whiteand the employee of the N. B. and EL B: Preezi ng Company were entertained atdinner in the Masonic Hotel as the guests of Mn White in celebration of his recent marriage. Mr George Fleming occupied the chair and read a letter from Mr Whiie, who is at present at Taupo, expressing his great satisfaction, with the harmony which had always characterised;, the relations between the l v employes, staff, and himself, and wishing all present a very enjoyable evening. Captain Tonkin proposed the toast of ' " Mr and Mrs Kinross White," and in doing so said he was merely re-echoing the sentiments of their many friends in wishing the happy couple every success and prosperity. Messrs W. T. Hlghley and T. J. Wilson also spoke in highly eulogistic terms of Mr White and the chairman responded on that gentleman's behalf in a few felicitous remarks. Songs, I recitations, and readings were given by Captain Tonkin and Messrs' Fleming, Beddie, Berry, Wills, Absolom, Pearce, Stone, and Gillespie. The gathering was large and thoroughly representative* over forty gentlemen being present, and the really excellent dinner provided by Mr F. Moeller was thoroughly appreciated. At the close of the proceedings a - very hearty vote of thanks was accorded* the' pianist, Mr John Parker, on the mo lion of Mr Re vans.

The proposal ot the Westport Harbor Board to take over and work the Cardiff• Mine with an amp c capital, provided it obtained the necessary sanction from the Government, is (says the Westport Times) one which is hailed here with unqualified approval. It is not alone that the working of this mine means a great future for V the district, but it is an undoubted calamity for the colony during this period of coal scarcity that a mine containing coal of such proved excellence should remain idle and unproductive. The Traffic Statement of the NewZealand for the period from Ist April to 22nd June shows a substantial increase in passenger traffic as compared with the corresponding period of last year. There is an increase in the ordinary pa.ssenger tickets of 323,799, and 6411 in season ticket's. Freight traffic shows an increase of 75,586 tons, and live stock, etc., an increase of 70,858. The amount of deposits received at the Po3t-office Savings Bank during the pas'j quarter was £1,186,833 12s 10d, as against £1,075,876 4s 4d for the corresponding quarter of last year. The withdrawals totalled £1,068,585 11s 7d, as against £966,881 7s 9d; the excess of deposits over withdrawals amounted to £117,998 la 3d against £108,994 16s 7d.' At the Brisbane Supreme Courtrecently Charles Arnold applied for aji injunction against Robert Henry Nicholls, otherwise known as Robert Henry, restraining him from performing a dramatic composition entitled " What Happened to Jones." It was set put that defendant had already played the piece at Mount Morgan and Rockhampton, and advertised it for production at Townsville and Charters Towers. Plaintiff, Charles Arnold, claimed that he had purchased sole rights *" of the piece for Australia. His Honor made an order restraining defendant from performing the production until 12th August or until a further order. The refusal of the female telephoneoperators to attend the telephone exchange on Sundays in Victoria will probably lead to the abandonment of the system*of employing women in this class of work. In fact, it is tolerably certain that the tendency in the future will be to dispense with female labor in the postoffice altogether, especially as it is now proposed to raise the minimum wage for clerical work in the postal service to £110 a year. The department does noC intend to take on any more female telephone operators, and notification has been given to some six or teven young women who were doing probationary switch operating, prior to being appoiuted telephone operators, that their services would not be i equired. Two Victorian old-age pensioners surprised the Rev Mr Pennioott, Christ's Church, Melbourne, the other day by waiting on him with a request that he would marry them. The man is 73 years and very decrepit. He was for five years in the Benevolent Asylum, but now gets 10s per week pension. The woman is 71 years of age, was for over 12 months in the asylum., aod has a pension of 7s per week. Mr Pennjcott,, knowing both the parties and the manner in which they lived, considered:* that such a union was not desirable, and bje interposed at least a temporary barrier to the union by demanding a fee quite beyond the reach of the old couple.

Here is the complaint of a London butcher against the " fraud " perpetrated by New Zealand* meat shippers on the long-suffering and trustful London retailers. It is written to the editor of the Daily Mail :—" In your issue of May 23rd, there is reported a ease against Messrs M. Bergl and Co., of Liverpool, in which that firm was prosecuted for selling us New Zealand lamb some that ■:■ came from Australia. The action is brought by Mr Cameron, the New Zealand Government's representative here, under the mistaken idea that the New ' Zealand farmer tuflers an injustice in having Australian meat sold as New Zealand. Before, however, the New ZeaJand Government start advertising the splendid quality of Australian meat in this way, 1 thinK they might first ccc to their own affairs at home. Thousands of sheep are forwarded to Canterbury yearly from other parts of New Zealand (in order to be shipped from there to London) because the salesman in this market will pay the colonial a little more for Canterbury mutton than he would for mutton from Otago or Southland,/ little dreaming 'hat ho is buying the onething and getting the other. The fraud on this side deceives no one; on the other side it is intentional." The records of domestic life contsvin a number of cases of husbands who are in receipt of wages from their wives. A ; notable case e.-.rly in lust-century was a wo>n>n who married a farm laborer on h»r-estate in linttlanJ. Her husband, insisting on following his former occupation hia spouse consb»ted to the arraogemeu't, paying lnm doubie his previous wages, and-when he became too infirm for toil she allowed hiui a pension. A willow who owned a factory married the n ,.. uS g,, r . She rtfused to allow him to b ciniie a partner, but offered to>,continue the salary he already received," to wlifch ihe arr.ozr.il gentleman assented, I ana until his death, fifteen years fater, he received i'egu'&rly at the end of .e3.cb quaVter' ; atH"a for salary, his loving upoilSe* A... lady Uovohit in the Utiittd State? not very long ago tn> ploye-i her husband as proof readers and gtuv-iiil assistant* ■ H" monthly sakry wa- N dev't>tdd to the pttlGtiaßb Vi ?'| ars j The worthy man appreciated the ot the situation, ac no always explained, " w hei:*cff-i ing a weed to' a friend, tn*6 the same had been bought out of the [wages,paid him by hid wife. J. D. BRIASCO, Umbrella' Miifcet, is tiie place to purchase your Umbrella , ?. [ Uiabrellas Re-covered and RepairedLadiisa'Umbrellas from 2s. Don't throw , " away ytiur old umbrella frames, but bring them along and we will tell you jf they aro' worth re-covering.' tlf ;jo.j&»\wUJL allow for" them on new ones. r .khi ■~->.

visit of the Duke and Duchesa of York to New Zealand formed the subject of an ode written by Mr R. Howell, of Rakamoana, who forwarded a copy to the Premier, and has received the following reply:—"Dear Sir, —I have to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of 10th ultimo, and also your excellent ode, which is both spirited and patriotic, and liaa a genuine ring about it. I am only aorry tkat it should have arrived too late ffor being presented to T.R.H. the Duke ■and Duchess of York, for I am sure they would have appreciated ifc as it deserves. During the Royal visit there was such ;an immense amount of work to be done that it was impossible to keep pace with the abnormal amount of correspondence, 'h9nce the delay in replying to you.—l am, yours faithfully, R. J. Seddon." A cycling racing track at Bordeaux was destroyed by a mob because of the failure of the electric light and the postponement of the races. The mob tore up the railings, set fire to the buildings, and destroyed the track, and were only dispersed wheii the mounted gendarmes drew svvords and charged through the crowd. A plucky rescue of two children by a ]ad named Arthur Green is reported from DayieSforcL .Ytotoria. The lad entered a burning Buildihg and rescued two little children who had betn locked in the houae by their mother while she was absent at the services of the Salvation Army Green had great difficulty in finding the children. After he had got one he could Hot find the other, but a sudden burst of flame showed the little fellow wawling tinder a bed. Green seized him and made for the door, which lie reaened just in time, as another burst of flame*followed the three as'they :nade their escape. The members of the fire brigade have taken up the matter of rewarding the lad, who had a portion of his clothing burned in the attempt, and they have issued collecting-lists, which are being well filled. The youth's action ie also to be brought under the attention of the Royal Humane Society. There has been placed on view at the Dore Gallery, New Bond street (says Lloyd's Weekly, a stone perfectly natural as to origin, yet unique in artistic effect. The curio, picked up near the scene of the Passion Play, at Oberammergau, by Mrs Eugenia Bacon, of Atlanta, Georgia, in 1880, remained in the lady's possession for some years as an example of rock interesting to the geologist. It was declared by the experts to be a fragment of limestone. Its only peculiarity was • being heart-shaped. In 1888, by a mete Chance, the stone was looked at under v lamp. Suddenly the lines of a face appeared. Microscope and the photoprapher's art were utilised, and a typical face of the Saviour was revealed. Nature has so fashioned its lines that when light falls at a certain angle the Divine countenance comes out with the mingled definiteness and exquisite finish of an old ivory carving. Photographic reproduction, of ■course, has taken place, and here the portraiture can be studiously inspected. The f*jje has strange, even weird, beauty, and though furrowed wiih pain and 'Suffering, an expression of resignation • reigne supreme. Scientists and art ex.perts of great eminence aver that the -work is one purely fiom the hand of nature, and that the stone has been untouohed by ohißel or brush. The face of 'the Saviour in a piece of stone finds most appropriate exhibition in a gallery specially devoted to sacred art. A young man named William Hugo ;had a sensational experience as the result of a fire which destroyed the building and plant of the old Kneebone Mining Company at Eldorado, Victoria. , Hugo and a mate had obtained permitsion to • bccupy one of the rooms in the old building, and when both went into the township of Eldorado it waa arranged that the one who first returned should, after locking the room, put the key underneath the door, so that the late-comer might enter without disturbing the other. Hugo returned to the building at midnight, but it transpired that his ■mate remained, in the township all night. .At about 4 o'clock next morning Hugo was awakened to find the room filled with smoke, and a fire burning in some portion of the building. The door being locked and the key beyond his reach outside, the only means of egress was by a widow, which was etoutly battened. The battena resisted all the man's efforts to forae them off with his hands, and he was \n imminent danger. The only article in the room that could aid him in effecting his escape seemed to be an American alarm clock, and after repeated blow 3 with this several of the battens were removed, and Hugo managed to get out just in time. He lost consciousness immediately afterwards from the effects of the smoke but subsequently succeeded in attracting the attention cf the inmates of a house close by and was given assistance. The building was entirely destroyed. The London correspondent of the Lyttelton Time* writes : —The latest " discovery" in connection with the carriage of frozen mutton from the colonies has proved, like many of its predecessors, to be not worth discovering. A New Zealander averred that he had found a means whereby frozen meat could be rr.ade undistinguishable from fresh home-killed, and of equal celling value. Experiments recently carried out by Messrs Dalgety and Go. have proved that the Maorilander has done no such' thing. A num-1 hoc of waterproof bags were made, according to sample sent from New Zealand, ar, a cost of 13s 6d each for sheep and 32a for beef, and carcases of Canterbury mutton were put in them as directed by the New Zealand discoverer. At the same time other carcases were put in Hessian bags, .and a third lot were left in the calico wrappers in which they came Home. The treatment of all three parcels was identical, with the .result that when removed from the bags? the carcases in the waterproof were soft, •wet, flabby, discolored and badly stained on the legs and other parts, and were depreciated fully £d per lb. The car- ■ cases in the ordinary wrappers were in ■far better condition. They were soft, and, to some.extent, stained and discolored Those in the Hessian bags were in capital order, and perfectly dry and ibright. With all frost, extracted, they were fit for sale and cooking at once. "These trials bear out the conclusions -arrived at by Home users that the Hessian bag outside the calico wrapper meets all requirements, especially for country deliveries. The meat is kept clean, and is really clef routed when in 'transit, reaching the consumer, in good •.condition, and fit for immediate use. '{Che trials further demonstrate the untauitability of the waterproof bag, which, an addition to its cost, has now, as.inj previous tests, proved a failure. THE MOTHER'S FAVORITE. Chamberlain's Cough Remedy is the .motner's favorite. Ifc is pleasant and safe • for children to take and always cures. It, ,ie int«nded especially for coughs, colds, croup and whooping cough, and is the I best medicine made for these diseases. ■ There is net the least danger in giving it ■ to .children for it contains ho opium or .other inj'iiious drug and may be given as confidently to a 'nabe as an ad sit. For /''sale by Whitman and White, The /, -Pharmacy, Napier.