Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, MONDAY, JUNE 25, 1894. GAMBLING AND BETTING.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXI, Issue 7011, 25 June 1894, Page 2

Poverty Bay Herald. PUBLISHED EVERY EVENING. GISBORNE, MONDAY, JUNE 25, 1894. GAMBLING AND BETTING.

The appallingly fast growth of the habit of gambling, and the concomitant cvil fi inseparable from it, has been a source of serious apprehension, to those who have studied the question of national progress. The principle which is generally recognised, that unless fair value is given m exchange for money, the transaction is dishonest, does not appear to have impressed itself upon a large number of both sexes, who rather than be content with the legitimate method of acquiring wealth, hazard their means with the hope of becoming suddenly rich by a stroke of good fortune. " Money," it has been said, " is the root of all evil "—A statement that is open both for discussion and criticism. The bad use to which money is often devoted, has frequently resulted m Bhame, misery, and ultimate degradation to those who misuse it, but it would be as illogical to visit the medium of exchange with the sins of those who have dissipated their income, instead of devoting it to proper and rational purposes—as it would to indict the poppy with the charge of being the cause of the terrible consequences resulting from the abuse of opium. If money has to be responsible for the evil consequences which often follow m its train, then we must go behind it for the reason that it should be so. The fact that an inordinate value is attached to it, and that its power is thereby increased, has been brought about by the action of those who have constituted ib an idol of worship, rather than a slave to be constantly watched. But though the matter were argued from the point of view, that m this century it is absolutely necessary to possess wealth m order to procure the many enjoyments which a feverish civilisation has not only thrust upon us, but has rendered necessaries—the mere article itself, money cannot be held responsible— but the desire to possess it, which nearly all people are keenly sensible of. The primitive simplicity m which our ancestors lived, too, before Watt, Stevenson, Edison, and a host of other ingenious inventors changed, by their wonderful creations oi genius, the mode of life of human beings - was far more conducive to real happiness, than the high pressure system now m vogue. Then such a thing as contentment was possible, but m the present age oi progress, new objects of mundane adoration are constantly being evolved from the innermost recesses of the active brains of students m mechanics, physics, and other sciences— and as soon as we are gratified by the possession of some contrivance which materially adds to out comfort, a new and improved one nmkes its appearance, and makes us dissatisfied with that which we already possess. Ie desiring to live m as much comfort at possible, money is the most important factor to enable us to achieve the object sought. Hence it has nob only a value oi its own, bub by its universal recognition as a medium of exchange it has an enhanced appraisement. It is therefore no marvel that everyone should wish tc obtain as much as possible — nor is it to be wondered at that the enormous advantages it confers upon those who possess it, should tempt; men whose moral instincts are nob of the soundest character, to adopt equivocal means of obtaining it. It were unnecessary to point to the infamous schemes for transferring ib from the purses of the people as a whole, to the possession of the shrewd and unscrupulous —for we have almost daily evidence of it m the newspapers. The proclivities for horse-racing and betting, exhibited by the generation now rising up to take our places subsequently m the world, betray a loose morality very disturbing to all who really feel an interest m the welfare of the people, not only of New Zealand, but of the whole of Australasia. Scarcely a week passes but there are race meetings held m different parts of the colony, and m consequence the rising generation have almost constantly before them temptations to neglect productive work and healthy study — and are m many cases induced to neglect all efforts at self-improvement — and waste valuable timo m reading pedigrees of horses, records of races, and kindred subjects not calculated to elevate their moral status Horse-racing has been recognised as a national pastime by all nations'from time immemorial, and were ib nob for the operations of the spieler class, that it gives an opportunity to —and the gambling and betting transactions -which seem to be inseparable from it— very little could be urged against it. That horse-racing conduces to an improved breed of equine specimens there is very little doubt, but that breeders apply themselves to the study for the sake of improving the standard of horses is open to question. We are therefore m hopes that the new Gambling Bill to be introduced by Sir Roberb Stout will commend itself to the House of Representatives. That an urgent neoessity exists for placing a check upon the rapidly growing curse of Australasia must be apparent, even to those who affect a penchant for the feverish excitement to be found on the racecourse. The Bill provides (1) that infants m law (that is, persons who have not attained their majority) shall be prohibited from gambling > (2) that turf transactions shall not be recognised by our courts of law, and that commission of turf agents shall not be recoverable ; (3) prohibits tote betting ; (4) makes the sale of totalisator tickets to infante a punishable offence j (5) limits the number of days upon which race meetings are to be held, and the number at which the totalisator is permitted to be used. If by this Bill betting is to some extent curtailed, and mainly confined to, those who are the owners of

national benefit will result, and though it may be pleaded that the liberty of the subject is being encroached upon, it would be better that it should be so than that liberty should be permitted to be synonymous of license, as it is now.