"GAMBLING ORGY”

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 189, 31 October 1927, Page 1

"GAMBLING ORGY”

Auckland Civic Leaders Attacked for Encouraging Tin-Hare Sport

A TRENCHANT CRITICISM

- V THINK it is quite time that we should protest against 1 leading public men prostituting the moral life of the community m order, through gambling, to bring money into their own Private purses. Such prostitution of the public offices they hold is one of the disgraces of our community Never have I known this happen in Auckland before.” attacked fvTiur E ' ? rake ’ Methodist minister, trenchantly wST" °4 Auc l kland > Mr. Baildon, and the chair! man of the Harbour Board, Mr. Mackenzie, for their advoc a C7 J? A n^ Te T&C , ing ’ at a meeting this morning of the Auckland Ministers’ Association. s e

VEW ZEALAND In general, and Auckland in particular, declared Mr. Drake, was on the "verge of an orgy of gambling." As far as he was aware no Auckland newspaper had published the information that the names of Mr. Baildon and Mr. Mackenzie appeared in the Government Gazette as promoters of this sport. Several of the ministers present, however, declared that their names had been published, and Mr. Drake withdrew his statement, declaring: “Well, if that is so no protest has been made.” Letters of Protest The meeting unanimously, on the motion of the Rev. Lionel B. Fletcher, Congregationalism commended the Council of Christian Congregations for forwarding letters of protest to the Mayor and Mr. Mackenzie, and also urged that body to prevent, by legislation if necessary, the introduction of this sport. All ministers of the Gospel in Auckland were likewise called upon to protest. As an association, said Mr. Fletcher, who introduced the subject of tin hares, they were not against the sport. (Hear, hear.) “But this is a ‘sport’ which cannot in any way foster any noble instinct. Tin-hare racing cannot exist without gambling. I defy any man to say that it can!” It was not a bit of use for Mr. Baillon to say that it would not encourage gambling, said Mr. Fletcher, for he did not believe it. “As a matter of fact.” he added, “I 4o not believe that Mr. Baildon meant that when he said it.” Mr. Fletcher related how quite recently he had witnessed a bookmaker calling upon the workmen at a large building now being erected in Queen Street. He afterwards went up to a man on the job, who told him that that was the fifteenth bookmaker who had been laying odds there that day. “We know that the bookie is in our midst. We know that he is carrying on. We realise, too, that if mechanical tin-hare racing is permitted in this eountry the bookmaker will have more natrons than ever.” “Plaything” For Mayor “We cannot get rid of pests once ; they are here,” Mr. Fletcher explained. I “What an outcry there would be if

snakes were introduced! Why, we won’t have them here even for our zoos! . . . And we are not going to have this sporting snake here, even

for the Mayor of the city to make a playing of! ” "I feel most strongly that men In public positions to which they have been elected by Auckland citizens should lend themselves to this kind of thing,” protested Mr. Drake. “Has the Government no conscience?” asked the Rev. S. Griffith. “Is it only money they are after?” “A clever device for gambling,” was the Rev. W. T. Blight’s characterisation of tin-hare racing. The Rev. C. G. Scrimgeour suggested a deputation of protest to the Mayor. “Let us indignantly ask him why he should publicly associate himself with this sport,” he said. “Already this business Is ablaze in the city. To my mind it will take some stamping out. Resolutions are quite insufficient. Let us go to him.” The deputation proposal, however, did not meet with support. It was eventually decided that letters of protest, following those from the Council of Christian Congregations, should be forwarded to Messrs. Baildon and Mackenzie.