STATE LOTTERIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23215, 8 December 1938, Page 19

STATE LOTTERIES

Sir. —I am grateful to Mr. G. Millar ami to others for expressing the views of those who favour the establishment of a State lottery. 1 realise they represent a very considerable section of the community. I do not think it wise to attempt, as Mr. Millar suggests 1 should, comparing the moral worth of the people of Tasmania and of Ireland, where State lotteries exist, with the moral worth of the people of New Zealand, where, fortunatelv, so far they do not exist. What J do unhesitatingly aHirm is that wherever the spirit of the gambler is much in evidence the moral fibre of the people is weakened, for their thoughts are centred on extracting money from man rather than oil rendering service to him. , „ . The Hon. W. K. Parry and all of vour correspondents so far are obsessed with the thought of the wonderful amount of good that allegedly could be done with the profits accruing from a State lottery. Mr. Millar instances the case of the proposed new general hospital for Auckland. 1 should like to point out that the manner in which inonev-is spent and that in which it is acquired are two totally different things. A successful burglar might quite conceivably devote some of his illgotten gains to furthering an admittedly good cause, yet that would not justifv his occupation. The average citizen realises the value of hospitals and should count it a privilege to do his share in supporting them. There should he no need for the State to embark on a scheme which, to my mind, will certainly result in the creation of scores of moral cripples, in order to raise funds to minister to the needs of inerelv physical ones. Both Mr. Parry and Mr. Shaw maintain that gambling is an instinct for which provision should be made. If there really is such a thing as a gambling instinct, I should say it is an instinct which should be eradicated as soon as possible. It, is certainly not one to be pampered by indulgent Government legislation. In anything i have written I am not primarily attacking, nor trying to convert to my way of thinking, the gambling fraternity. With Mr. Millar. I recognise the evil is already here, hut as ft private citizen 1 wish simply, while yet there is time, to register my emphatic protest against being made a conipulsorv State shareholder in a business which ] am fully convinced is a menace to youth and a stumbling-block in the pathway of those whom it is my privilege and life's work to teach. H. R. Übquhart.'