THE GAMBLING MANIA.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 24 October 1924, Page 5

THE GAMBLING MANIA.

“A CALLOUS, BLIND SOCIETY ‘‘The gambling mania, as lie termed It, was strongly 'attacked by Bishop •cvveriil in his charge at the opening of blie Diocesan Synod at Auckland. The Hwhop considered l that in combating the. evil mere denunciation of its economic aspect was not enough An appeal' should be made on the higher personal responsibility, motherhood and patriotism. ‘‘Men and women gamble,” said the Bishop, “for many reasons—some in order to obtain money easily, some in to satmfy a craving for excitement and risk, some to stimulate their jaded senses, some to counteract the ennui of a shallow, selfish life, and others do. Suppose we admit that some of the opposition to the gambling craze is expressed in exaggeiated language, that some men. and women have no intention of harming then-neighbours when they indulge in gambling, that many who gamble -an afford to lose, that the raffle differs not m principle from, the totalise 01 '’ have we really touched the evil of gambling ? It is an offence against the spirit of brotherhood, and as such le an offence against God. It tends to telfisk individualism and looks not to the things of others. How many of the lapses from moral reetdude are to he traced directly to the craze for gambling? How many occupants of our prisons owe their position todhe gambling craze? How often the first wrong step in a boy’s life can be traced directly to this craze. How often men and women suffer for the sms of society, and society is blind and callous and apparently indifferent.”