BETTING ON ELECTIONS.

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 December 1911, Page 2

BETTING ON ELECTIONS.

[TO THE EDITOR.} (Published by Arrangement.) Sir, —As long as the world is, a world men will bet, but it seems a great pity tliat it is taking an active part in many . elections. The mere act of putting your one pound on whom you think will be the 1 elected one is not the evil of it as far as you are concerned, but it is the opening that this act leaves to the unscrupulous worker for the candidate a means of bribing you to vote the way he wishes without you knowing you are being bribed, and it is a cheap way, too. Where an election is closely contested, a matter of a hundred and fifty or two hundred votes wi'l ensure a certain win, and it is these votes that the unscrupulous one goes for. For instance, supposing Mr X is supporting Mr B against Mr C., lie" raakesvit appear that he is. in and by enquiries he finds the wavering or ? the dilatory voter, and by laying a pound that Air C. will beat Mr 13. he secures his vote for Mr 8., and thus he goes' on securing vote after vote—and a cheap' .way, too, where perhaps a hundred pounds would not buy'the vote of a par- ' son who would be dishonorable to sell it, j or a thousand pounds the honourable; man •who would not sacrifice his honour at any price. Still; by this little ruse, he secures it for a pound. Many will say nonsense, but there are plenty of men who do not take a keen interest in election matters, but who are so- constituted that they cannot refuse a bet when it is offered to them ,and especially on an even money chance. Yours, etc., BEWARE.