CAMBLING AND ITS EVILS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2504, 19 March 1902, Page 45

CAMBLING AND ITS EVILS.

When one l- in the habit of investing a Miveroign or any portion of that khakitolonred ("in on the chance of a horse about ! to do battle in a race, )r even in a sweep the it<-ult ol which is determined by a horsclace, Hi.tpy iinagina tint the specula' or (or peihap-i it would be better to say gambler) is on the high road to the bottomless pit — the pit where the comfort of any circle or fctalls n only on a pay witli the ■■omfort of the pit, and plebeian and patrician aro exactly on the same " footing." No doubt sometimes it \\ns been found that a sudden acquiiing of wealth has ficquently been the beginning of the end of many a career, but there is anothor side to the shield. Level-headed men who ha\e been in the habit of indulging in a modest gamble have often been known to cut speculation entirely when they \\a\e hud what is gencidlly termed a "good win," and ncicr more put faith in the fickle (loddc = s of Fortune as far as betting is concerned. Of course, for c\ery instance that can be quoted of a lucky one making good U** ol his gambling money there can be Ki\en [

cases Tvhere the opposite h?s bean the casev It is. nowever, pleasing to hesr occasionally* that wealth acquired by gambling has sometimes been used cdvanrageously "by the fortunate persr.n who has been lucky enough to acquire and kee-p it. Tner«? could be piven more than one instai.ee of casos ir* our own pity in which a speculator has run into money, and then promptly cut punting ever after. One. case im particular I hove pe-sonal knowledge cfi in which a young nan ran "nothing" infoi over a couple centuries, and roirried oni' the strength of his win. H«« h.vi i-ever beeni known to n-.ake a bet :>>nce, and, judging by the oxp:ess.on of his face, he is qui'.e satisfied thH 'ie ild -not further vent-ire» and perMps h? doi*4 so 'ose his gains, and! so prob..L>ly lose his chance of escaping V ,ci tyranny of a happy mar-lage- A Sydney paper has coUecteJ some particulars as ta what fortunate investors in Tatjersall'sc sweeps have done with their winnings. "The* well-informed gentleman." who supplied the* information to the journal in question is, no doubt, a prominent Sydnoy rportsKart who is also widely known in Melbourne a..cf Adelaide. He has had a good deal to dcf with laying off s\roep money. In the course' of an interview he reiDark»4:— " On* of the/ best ev&mples of the food ihat c«canes from winning a svwep U Qsat of a ii«iin who i^ now in a large way of WsJivms in Pitt streef, Sydney. He was * wssnercial traveller about 16 years ago, bu« woa, when thtf.. sweeps wer*> not vi large s* at present, £4000 or £SC\YJ. TO- gave him a stara in business, and he now controls a large establishment — the largest of its kind in tho city, in fact. Then, to go to the other extreme, and this is important in vie*" of the talk' of a certain section against swewps, two' daughters of a once celebrated cferjyman in Sydney were left in a poor way! Ai fiiend gave them two tickets in a sweep,' and they won £4000 or £5000. Since them they have been practical/ independent. Doyou want an example of quit© another sort? Take that of the Japanese who won £25,0"iC It did not drive thorn to ruin. T: «$• invested it in a pearling fleet at Thursday. Island. Tlipii go to New Zealand. A yournman won £4500. Ho gave half to his father," and they both bought farms in Tasmania. There was. too, the case of the young man in Queensland— a shearer, 1 think. He cleared £20,000 on a Melbourne Cup, went home to Scotland, bought a couple of estates, and settled his people comfortably,besides being generous to his mates. Besides thp man who laid the foundation of his business aheady referred to, there was another in the same lino in Hunter street who won over £4000, and did well with it. These are only instances which occur to me at the moment. A waterman in Sydney had a win of £6000, and built houses with it. A postman secured £4000 or £5000, and also invested it in bricks and mortar. The cab< man who drew Paris for tho Caulfield Cup was also wise jii his generation, and is now' well off."