THE GAMBLING SPIRIT

Te Awamutu Courier, Volume 58, Issue 4194, 9 June 1939, Page 3

THE GAMBLING SPIRIT

HUGE REVENUE TO MENT. THE POSITION IN BRITAIN. In the course of a letter to hand by the latest air mail, a Glasgow resident refers to the following item taken from the Weekly Scotsman, and comments “How is gambling thriving in dear old New Zealand?”: The note of alarm raised by the Scottish Churches’ Council on the subject of gambling would in normal times have arrested the attention of all. The members of this body say that gambling now rivals drink as the most potent breaker-up of homes in our land; and, in face of the figures they present, this statement seems to need no substantiation. Postal traffic in pool-betting has developed to such an extent that in places branch offices have had to be opened, it is stated that of nearly 334 million postal orders issued in 1936-37, about half were for pools; the Post Office thereby making an annual profit of £3,000,000 in postage and poundage. So widespread is this form of speculation that it is difficult to imagine that any Government could venture to curtail it without a special mandate to do so, or to feel any confidence that the country would support a Government in taking action. The whole subject presents a baffling problem, and other vital matters are at present so urgent that the chances of full consideration being given to it seem rather remote.