ANTI-GAMBLING MEETING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 9581, 4 August 1894, Page 2 (Supplement)

ANTI-GAMBLING MEETING.

There was a big muster at the antigambling meeting at Exetor flail on June 13. Mr. R; W. Perks, M.P., presided, and the anti-gamblers present included the Right Rev. Bishop Barry, Dr. Clifford, Mr. F. A. Bevan, Dr. Percival, Major Seton Churchill, Mr. Alex. Cross, M.P., the Dean of Hereford, Mr. J. Smith, M.P., Mr. Cyril Dodd, M.P., Mr. J. Passinore Edwards, Mr. Thomas Snape, M.P., Rev. J. W. Horsley, Dr. Moulton, Mr. T. Morgan Harvey, Mr. G. A. Hutchinson, Dr. Turpin, and Mr. J. VV. Hanson. The secretary read a considerable number of letters of apology for non-attendance, in which the vice of gambling and betting was denounced. . Among those who wrote were: Doan Hole-—" as a Christian, a gentleman, and a sportsman" the Hon. and Rov. E. Lyttelton, the Bishops of Manchester, Liverpool, Wakefield, Gloucester, and Bristol, Ripon, Durham, Derby, and Coventry, Archdeacon Sinclair, Dr. Munro Gibson, Lord Compton, M.P.j Rov. Price Hughes, and the headmasters of nearly a dozen of the great public schools. The chairman said that Cardinal Vaughan had written that gambling was becoming a worse plague than drunkenness. In the course of a vigorous speech Mr. Perks denounced tipsters, and appealed to the press for assistance, and particularly to the halfpenny evening press. Dr. Clifford moved the following resolution That as the demoralising system of betting upon horseracing largely owes its extension and support to the publication of the betting odds in the newspapers, it is desirable to introduce a Bill into Parliament to render such publication ponal." Bishop Barry, who seconded the resolution, said an organised system of deceit and knavery existed in con- j nection with the turf. . Sir Wilfrid Lawson, j in supporting the resolution, remarked that when tho cheoring at Epsom was dying away someone was heard to cry ''20 to 1 against tho Anti-Gambling League I" Years ago it was 200 to i against the United Kingdom Alliance, bub they could nob get long odds against ib now. He appeared thorenotas a philanthropist, or a sportsman, or a man with an abnormally 'developed, Nonconformist eonscienee, but simply as a citizen. The resolution was carried on a show of hands with but with one dissentient, and ab this stage the chairman,' who was obliged to leave, was replaced by Mr. Alexander Cross, M.P. The Master of Rugby, in moving the second resolution, said that he should like an earnest appeal made to Lord Rosebery and then to Mr. Chaplin. The resolution was as follows That this meeting of citizens of. all sections of religious and political thought approves the efforts of the National Anti - Gambling League to cope with the great evils of betting and gambling, and to secure un equal application of the existing laws." Major Seton Churchill seconded the resolution, which was carried unanimously.