MR ALLEN AND THE TOTALISATOR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 15301, 15 November 1911, Page 4

MR ALLEN AND THE TOTALISATOR.

Sib,—At Mr Allen's political meeting at Lawrence on November 3 lie was asked if ho wore in favour of tfo abq'jtion of tho totnli«n|or. Ho wolied lint ho hrd on™ 1 voted for Its abolition, but that ho would not do so again. To many of his friend* and supporters this chsngo of front will como with comidorabls surprise. Oct tho strength of his former voto Mr Alton has been reprosorttod in tho eonEtituency as a convinced rnd opponent of this form of legalised gambling, and much support has teen given to him accordingly. But ho his changed his mind. He is now in favour of continuing tin uso of tho betting machine. Tho totolis&tor is ono of i tho most insidious instruments of evil in our Dominion. Tho t vico of gambling is growing to an farming extent, and, with all its dire coiucquonces, is spreading, its tantaaVs daily. One of Hie most pcfont facto-* in tho increos-; of tfio vier> is Uw totalizator. It given to (rambling a garb of rt\iprci«bility, and through it tho cureo ban increased enormously. Even racing men admit this. Mr Allen now savs that, ns far as ho is concerned, he will uso his influence to protect tho machine that doeo so much to porpctuoto and inoreoso tho gambling ovil; It is something to bo thankful for timt Mr Allen hs< spoken so freely. For ho has been represented w ono wheflo voto could olwa.vs . ho depended on when any eroat moral L<isuo has, liaci to bo faced. In Bruco thore aro many 'dcotora who place principles beforo party, and whoso v6te< nave bean given to Mr Allen not so much bwtfo liV'v bclioved in his politics as that they believed in his principles. Let these then review tho situation. There are hundrmts of them tf)» heio gambling in all its forms. Let them remember that tho .totaJisotor has <k>W> much to inoreaeo thoevilithat rwiv race meetings ccjMnoj bo hcW at »U if it nrro not for the tint tho clut* <£ot through the imchirc; that many racing olubs ore kept alivo through its Mitten gains. Then let them consider that Mr Allen declares that he is prepared to veto for tho retention of tho betting machine with all it* attendant evils. Mr Allen has «>nfre<xl to a change of Attitude on thw (jucstioA., He wi'.l probably find that his change of mind has caused a change of mind in many of his former supporters aleo.—l am, oic., t Once an Auenitb.