ANTI-GAMBLING LEGISLATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2762, 20 February 1907, Page 51

ANTI-GAMBLING LEGISLATION.

Tbe jarqposed anti-gambling legislation m England called forth tbe following remarks ' from ±he Bfileree:—^The Betting Bill is a most -mischievous and dangerous piece oi legislation ior two Tessons : it roust inevitably fail to -effect its purpose, mid it -weakens -respect for -the law by bringing the ] law inio contempt, it endeavouw to transform »n innocent .and perfectly lawlul action into a crime. Making a bet indoors is no more a .penal dffence than eating an apple; 'but jnove 15 inches through .your door on to fhe pavement, eat your apple — that is, jaaake y«ur i>et — there, and you -may , b-_" inqprisoaßd. lien will be converted into < gao! birds .for doing or> one side oT their door .a thing that .they hare Ji perfect legal ani mexal aright to -do «n 'the other «ide. , The onset innocent «and harmless "forms -xti ganikling ace haoking horses for ready rccnej and playing art the table at Monte Carlo. Why ? Because* man .knows exactly -what he is risking, and has to produce the money which ie risks. Credit betting is infinitely mote dangerous, for here the man is tempted to go .beyond his means, to ' dash ' — that is, in many cases to incur liabilities which he cannot mcct — and immearuxohly worse than this is the presumedly virtuous business of Stock Exchange ■pecafetkm, *wbere the buyer or seller has not. "the r*«Batest idea 'where be may be landed, and how mueli he may owe in the course of a lew hours. But -what form of bueiriGSS ie not speculative? ... If there he '-obstruction ' it can be dealt with effectually under existing- laws; 'but if two men are walking down a deserted street, with no one except a policeman within 200 yards ef them, -supposing that one offer-s the other 200 to 7 against JBezonian for the Derby, they are both criminals, to bo .marched off, charged, taken before a magistrate — for ' obstruction,' — fined, end imprisoned if they do not produce the amount. It — is all *o absolutely ridiculous ! Moreover, Jones «nd Smith ace -on their way to the city. Jones longs to bet Smith 6 to 4 on the field for the -2.30 race, bat he must not -venture to .make such a proposition -verbatim; so he goes into the nearest telegraph office iand some officials of bis Majesty's Government convey io Smith the message which .Jones ihas been afraid to murmur, 4eat officials of bis Majesty's Government. should straightway run him in. Is these -here any distant approach to common sense? Isn't this a gem of legislation to be proud of? ... The British working man has been taught a lesson. He has brought into power a Government which -shows its gratitude by placing him on a lower level than a Chinese coolie, who is allowed to gamble under State regulation — a privilege denied to the intelligent ekctor."