CLYED.

Otago Witness, Issue 2319, 11 August 1898, Page 34

CLYED.

August 8. — The one topic of conversation here during the week was the raid upon the gambling den afc Alexandra, when the police succeeded in arresting 13 Euopeans and five Chinamen. The accused were brought before Mr M'Carthy, S.M., on Friday last, at the Clyde Court, the Europeans being lined £2 and costs each. Chow Kay, the owner of the don, was &e:itc-iiced to thice months' imprisonment, but he subsequently appealed, and was released upon a bail of 5200, himself in JEIOO and t>vo sureties of X'so each. The remaining Chinamen ape-jred before the court on Saturday, when they were fined £5 each and costs of court. Mr Robert G-ilkison appeared foi the Europeans, Mr M. M'Donald defending the Chinamen, Detoctivo M'Graih appearing to pioeccute. Chow Kay's case being still " sub jndice," couuuent thereon would be unfair, but 1 may bo at liberty to remark that gambling in our goldfields townships is not the stalking evil some people would have us behove it is. Of course there are no counter attractions such as theatres, music halls, lectures, or free reading rooms, and the young people will naturally cnoiigh have resort to the only source of amusement to be had. Though the churche3 still retain a few followers the dry-as-duat sermons have ceased to bs attractive to the many, and so the thing goes on, and tho youths spek their pleasure in a simple game of " Sing Ti Lue," or " Fan Tan," ixntil the limbs of the law step in and stop the play for the time being, laying a tax upon the players. Of course "the law is a hass," and its officers are mules, for they kick mostly in unexpected directions ; but in this instance the direction in which the kicking was to be done was known to a few, {or one newspaper asserts that it purposely kept quiet, knowing the police were about to act. This doesn't sound straight, and in my opinion the words would have been better had they never been lettered. I would bo tbe last in the world to plead an excuse for the presence of a Chinese gambling den in our midst, but I unhesitatingly aver that there is small difference between a game of " Sing Ti Lue " in one ol those dons and a similar game in our licensed houses. If there is a difference, the balance is in favour of tho "den." Those youths who meet to have a game of threepenny "Sing Ti Luc" have Uouilly the advantage of a clear head, and seldom are they known to be under ibe influence of drink —indeed, I may safely &ay many of them never taste spirits. Until some counter attraction in amusement is set up in Alexandra thoio is small probability of petty gambling being dclured by the intervention of the police. Death.— On the 4th inst. Samuel Stocking, a native of Kent, England, died at the Dunstan Hospital after a protracted illness. The fle-cea-ed was long resident on the Otpgo goldfields, having arrived in this colony in 1662, since when lie has been engaged in f-olclmining, with varying success. For a number of years past I doe'ea-ed has been settled at Drybrcad, near Mi'taknnui, where he won the esteem and fri^nd'hip of a. wide circle of neighbours. Tho I funeral took place at Drybread on Saturday, i the decopsed beii>g inteiied in the local comee S9lo by Auction.— Mr R. S. Gilki&on advertises an important pale of land, stock, and 1 fanning implements at Ophir on August 17. i The land comprises r-cveral very valuable freehold Rcclions in the Tiger Kill district, alro sections in the town of Ophir. I expect that there ! T.-111 bo varm competition for tbe different par- ! eels of lard, s^ much of it includes high-class i onriculhvnl soil, and tho terms of pole are ' remarkably ea^y.