THE GAMBLING EVIL.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLI, Issue 11400, 20 November 1917, Page 6

THE GAMBLING EVIL.

STRONG COMMENTS FROM BENCH. Per Press Association. Wellington, Nov. 3C>. In sentencing Fred C. Fraser to two years’ reformative detention for conspiring to defraud and attempting to obtain money from bookmakers by false pretences, Sir Robert Stout si id that be was sorry he could |not grant the probation. Ho had many times pointed out to people who had come before him in Court that if they chose to enter the witness box and make statements which were untrue they must be prepared to be supsected of false moraltiy and even criminal instincts. This Fraser had “done. Ko might have thought it was not his duty to “give away” thosc|who had been associated with him, not necessarily, those men who had been tried with him, and against whom the jury had found, and perhaps found rightly, that there was no clear evidence. Fraser having gone into the box and what htd been proved to be untrue, could not he treated as a man of good character. He was sorry to see Fraser where he was. According to Mr Mc- ' Tilly’s report to the police he was a young man who had been attentive to his work, who had done good work, and who had good prospects, but he had ruined his life, had dashed his future to the ground, and for what? Not for sport, but on account of a gambling propensity, which was a canker wherever it existed. His Honor added lie had seen a good deal of life in the colony, and in all lus Do ye srs' experience ho had known of only one man who made any money by gambling, and ho had not lasted long. Compared with those who made money' by hard work, thrift, and intelligence, the number of those %vho made money by' gambling was extremely’ limited. People might want sport, and they’ should have amusement, and he would not sny that they’ could not get amusement by’ watching horses race, hut if it had to exist by its connection with gambling, then tho community would be wise to abolish it altogether. Fraser, in betting at tot-slisator odds for some time, must have known ho was doing wrong. He could - not deal with Fraser as a first offender, hut, at tho same time, was not going to deni harshly with him. He recognised that Fraser had done his duty to his mother.

The Chief Justice said ho would bring the case before the. Prisons Board at an early date, and the board might grant probation after a time.