Truth IDIOTIC " INDICATIONS."

NZ Truth, Issue 129, 7 December 1907, Page 4

Truth

IDIOTIC " INDICATIONS."

published Every Saturday Morning at Luke's Lane (off Mannersstreet), Wellington, N.z. ■ SUBSCRIPTION (IN ADVANCE), 13S. PER ANNUM. ' . SATURDAY, ZT"""-L.7- ' f, 1907.

«. , ; Like the Council of Churches, 1 'Truth" is of the opinion, it is impossible to be otherwise, that the Gaining Act is very drastic. So drastic is it that the question seems to arise, is the gambler's life worth living m New Zealand. Indeed, it won't be, unless several coaches and sixes are driven through the Act, and, when . all is said and done, now that a comparative calm prevails, it seems that the Act, after all, is fostering what it was sought to condemn. For instance, betting is going on as much as ever. There is no difficulty m whatever m ascertaining what dividends are paid. The "good things," even though tipping ami guessing are proscribed, are i known to every street punter, who throws Ms silver about with a charming recklessness, and doesn't stop to consider whether the "foorce" is

handy, and that m backing his fancy he is commiting a "crime," or acting as accessory to a "crime," of which no jury will even have the pleasure of acquitting him. Indeed, •'Truth" inclines to the belief that the Council of Churches are real right-down joyous that there are so, many "criminals" m New .Zealand, and m seeing them punished will experience the exquisite delights of the Inquisitors. Just now, everybody is discussing the Gaming Act. Every-> body knows it' from A to Z, or, at least, they imagine they do, and are cheerfully engaged m an endeavor to cheat its provisions. Indeed, if the public took such a deep, if not profound, interest m every legislative ] enactment that is turned through the ' * Molesworth-street mangle, it would £ be a sorry day ,for some politicians "1 next election. Anyhow, it is only j the Gaming Act that is beina: dis- 1 cussed, and. as "Truth" has observ- ] ed, so lawrabMittK is the p-overned ] mob, that we find everybody, Puritan ' and ungodly, pointing out and ] seeking anything 'that consti- ] tutes an evasion of the Act, a truly noble tribute to its popularity. ] The Puritanic interpretation, how- ! ever, is leading them to ridiculous 1 lengths, ami, of many instances, the ' following, a letter addressed to . the ] editor of the "Carterton Daily News," of recent date, deserves widespread publicity. if only to show ] the sort of bigot that desires to get j a footing m New. Zealand, and who, : once that footing is obtained, would , make Of New Zealand what England' ' was m the Puritanic era. and what ■ Scotland was when John Knox j preached his doctrine of misery and desolation. Here is the letter :— Sir,— As no indication , may . now : •be given m a newspaper as to the i prospects of a horse m any race, ] •how is it that the handicaps still j appear m the papers. Surely ] "the weights are an indication ? — I j am, etc., ' ' 1 : ■ , PURITAN. i Were it not apparently the case that '' "Puritan" is playing the part of a 1 pimp m thus drawing attention to ] this "evasion," "Truth" would point j out that there are a hundred and one -\ things connected with sporting news i that could be construed into evas- , ions, and the authorities, if they only dared to prosecute, would find them- ] selves covered with ignominy, and all j the baiting of the Puritans of the J. ] J. North type is. not likely to lead f the authorities into making purblind \ asses of themselves. "Truth" week- 1 lv publishes a list of winning jock- £ eys. To the Puritanic mind, that ( is an indication, because there are ] many m New Zealand who don't back £ the horse, but back the rider. Is ( '•'Truth" committing a' "crime" m ; thus publishing a list of successful .< riders. Is the paper aiding and i abetting "crime" m indicating to i punters that such and such a jockey is m winning vein. Indeed, if this is j an indication, then "Truth" is ■( forced to say that its sporting' col- ( umns is one mass of deliberately- ( planned incentives and aids to ] crime, and if the record of a horse ( paying a big dividend, that such and s such a horse will win a race at i some future date, that some neddy is i very lightly handicapped, that Sid i Reid has ridden 20 winners this seas- t on, and is likely to win more with- s m the next few weeks. If all these < are indications, and fit with the 1 narrow-minded Puritanic view or i conception of the Gaming Act, i ''Truth" is willin-e, too willing,, to i be prosecuted, and gaoled, /md burned ' at the stake, or hanged, drawn and 1 quartered, or suffer any punishment c the Puritanic mind can devise. Mar- i tyrdom, m such circumstances, would i be glorious, the only drawback is ( that the authorities won't allow s "Truth" to be martyrs. They're i far too cute.. < ' ]