HAND IN HAND.

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 91, 31 July 1895, Page 3

HAND IN HAND.

THE CHURCH AND THE “ROOKIES.” The church and the ring have joined : forces to oppose the legalising of the totalisator, says “ Terlinga,” in the Australasian. Between them they represent the opposition to Mr Murray’s bill. The Flemington owners and trainers waited on Dr evan on Tuesday and tried to win him over to their side, but they were unsuccessful. Although Mr E. Stevenson made some good points, the other members of the deputation do not shine as controversalists, and the doctor was too many for them. The effect for good which the totalisator might have on racing troubled him not. Even the plea of the deputation that the totalisator would make the turf cleaner and purer failed to move him. And he was deaf to the charmer when the benefits which the totalisator would bestow upon the charities were urged upon bis consideration. As a churchman, Dr Bevan objects to gambling—'except as practised in connection with church bazaars, I presume. If the deputation had been able to assure him that the totalisator would stamp out all other kinds of betting he would have been inclined to go with them. The doctor’s idea is that the present inodes of betting should first be removed by the passing of the totalisator, and that after that the totalisator should be abolished, and gambling of all sorts discontinued. Then, thinks the doctor, everyone will be happy- But this is a very large order. It would be easier to abolish all the churches than to eradicate gambling—l mean gambling of all kinds, not that which relates merely to racing. The doctor’s allusion to the Anti-Gambling League was not happy. This body certahfy tried to interfere with the English regulations for the control of betting, but their action has had (as far as their cause is concerned) most disastrous results. In everything they attempted they were defeated, and the iniignation aroused at their meddlesome interference caused the formation of the Sporting League, which, backed up by public opinion, has opposed and beaten the anti-gamblers at' every jpoint,