CHINESE GAMBLING. And Those Police Raids.

Free Lance, Volume II, Issue 95, 26 April 1902, Page 8

CHINESE GAMBLING. And Those Police Raids.

THE action of the Appeal Court in quashing the comictions recorded by the Magistrate in the police persecution ol Chinese is distinctly refreshing to the lovers of fair play and even-handed justice. We must b3 consistent in our methods if we are to regulate the habits of the people. We must not show our despised Chinese brother — ' The steep and thorny way to heaven, Whiles, like a putt'd and reckless libertine, Oui selves the pnmrose path ot dalliance tiead " * * * In other words, if there is validity in the proud boast of British fair-play, we must not have one law for ourselves and another and much more drastic one for the yellow heathen who lues within our gates. If we insist on his abstention from private gambling we must decree and compel the same rule of austerity for ourselves. Hitherto our practice — or, rather, the practice oi the police, for it revolts the good sense of the public — has been to wink hard at the white man's shortcomings and martyrise the yellow man for his small peccadilloes. * * • For years it has been the regular custom of the police when drunks fell away into habits of sobriety and bylaw cases were scarce and business at the Court was slack, to organise a nocturnal raid upon the Chinese quarters. It was a safe as well as "a clane and aisy job." The quarry could also be located with ease, they ne\er shewed tight, and it was glorious tun tor " the bhoys " to pounce upon a gathering of Chinese engaged in a quiet little lottery, smash up the fixings, grab the scurrying Mongols by their pigtails and march them off in handcuffed pairs to the lock-up amidst the delighted cheers ot the small-boy population. * • * And how the hearts of the detecti\es, the sergeants, and the higher functionaries would swell with gratified pride as they gazed next day upon the newspaper sensation they had achieved tor themselves, the bold head lines, the animated description of " A Successful Police Raid," and the praise that was lavished upon the smart and vigilant officers who had with such amazing cleverness planned the raid and so dauntlessly carried it out. * * * But not a word about the outraged feelings of the unfortunate Chinese, their rough handling, the humiliations heaped upon them, and the loss inflicted upon them in damaged furniture and the payment of heavy fines. And, after all, what was their misdoing ? They were gambling with cards among

themselves — drawing a lottery on something like totahsator principles. And yet this is the State which legalises the totalisator, sm rounds it with police protection, and insists on drawing a re\enue from I, ' Was there ever such impudent hypocrisy "? Let us be con^ibtent, for goodness' sake. It the police are to pay domiciliary visits of a surprise nature at any time of the night to the Chinese, let them try the same game on with the Europeans. The law, and especially British law, must be no respecter of persons. We have no sympathy with Chinese gaming or European gaming, either. But we have a very deeded repugnance to squint-eyed justice — the justice that closes tbe eye to one man's wrong-doing and goes with a bludgeon for the other fellow who is not a bit worse.

Bravo ! Sir Joseph Ward. In spite of aLI obstacles and hindrances he has won has way to the desired goal. The Australian Commonwealth has yielded to his diplomacy, and the penny post has now universal sway throughout the British dominions. The name of Ward will always be most honourably associated w ith this memorable achievement. * * • Congratulations to Mayor Aitken upon his unopposed return for the third term. There was no one strong enough to enter the lists against him. And the chances' are that he will beat all records. Previous mayors who have sat for three successive terms are Messis. Joe Dransfield (the first mayor) Wm. Hutchison, and Geo. Fisher. * * * The Sun," which came into existence rather behindtime early in January, in order to shed the light of half-penny journalism upon Wellington, has sunk to rast — a permanent rest, we understand. The last number was issued on Saturday, but there was no word or line to indicate it was the last. There was no swan-song prior to dissolution. No reproaches tvere made, no apologies offered, and no complaints put forth. It samplv flickered out. * # • •Poor little Sun." It did its best, but clouds and thick weather attended its rising, and accompanied it in its course. At any rate, it has settled one point. There may be room enough for another evening paper, but there is no call for selling it at a half-penny. People in the colonies don't discriminate between a half-penny and a penny, and to offer your ware at a half -penny is to sugigest that only a ha'porth is offered for sale.

J W Wallace and Company, Vic-toria-street, report very brisk sales of the ' v Acme" gas engine, for which they are the sate New Zealand agents, having besides' many others, just landed a 26 horse-power, to< the order of a town firm. They have also cabled this week for a 15 horse-power for a Napier firm. Intending purchasers would do well to communicate with the agents, who will be pleased to sho-n them two or three in use.