GOVERNMENT AND LOTTERIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22400, 22 April 1936, Page 17

GOVERNMENT AND LOTTERIES

Sir,—ln his first letter Dr. North condemned speculation. Now he says: "Gambling is the most exaggerated form of speculation." Before the Hon. W. Parry, he said: "They were not prohibitionists in the matter." Now he quotes with approval Lord Snowden as saying: "The country should put forth avery effort to destroy it." (Gambling.) It is thus evident that Dr. North is "confused in his own mind on the subject of gambling and he must tell us exactly what is his definition. Would he include all speculation, as his first letter suggests, or only its "most exaggerated form," as his second letter indicates? Forms and degrees of gambling which are hurtful to the individual and the State we should all oppose, but not vornis and degrees which are harmless. In theso matters the rights of the individual conscience must be respected —according to Dr. North's own contention in other matters. Also the principle of majority rule is paramount. Dr. North now correctly quotes the Hon. W. Nash. "Work must bo the title to wealth." But this statement must be understood by the speech as a whole and the Minister's other statements and actions. That this was the "central sentence," and of "a singularly clear speech," are Dr. North's own opinions. On the contrary, this sentence is most ambiguous. Dr. North himself mistook'it as applying to the present, and made it read: "Work is the title to wealth." Whoso work and whose title are referred to? My title to the wealth produced by my own work is genuine, can I not give or/and bequeath this to another? Work is one thing and the title to wealth is another, and nothing but confusion will result from saying: "Work is, or must be, the title to wealth." Even the most thorough-going communism in the world to-day would not say with Dr. North: "What the nation has a right to expect is an immediate implementing of theso principles in their most widespread and therefore most dangerous form." The present maldistribution. of wealth throughout the world is a gigantic evil, and the Government is doing its duty by endeavouring to rectify the wrong. But no end of time and patience and wisdom are needed for the task.

Golden Rum.