CHANCE? OR SKILL?

Timaru Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 3578, 19 March 1886, Page 3

CHANCE? OR SKILL?

Peter Paul Chapman has been unfortunate. Fireil with the desire to turn tho niinblo shilling, he swooped down upon Wainmte on St. Patrick's Day, and pitched }iia tent upon tbo racecourse. " 110 liad become the proud pos^csor of a "lectio game," tho which he endeavoured to persuade tho gentlemen sportsmen attending tho races to patronise. Tho gamo was simple, nnd did nut induce much of a strain upon tho intellect of its sporting supporters. Neither dil it require much outlay on tho part of tho proprietor. Peter Paul procured a deal box, tho legend upon whose sides wont to show that it had formerly held " Guinness, Dublin, 4 doz." On this ho spread a sheet of oilcloth, bearing tho enticing inscription, " Chance Pool." In the space of a foot or so squaro wore painted some 60 or 70 circles of on inch m diameter, each bearing a figure representing sums of from 6d to 103. Petor Paul waa further provided with a number of wire rings of about an inch and a half m diameter, tho tomporary value of which was 3d each. Gentlemen sportsmen wero invited to " walk vp — now was their timo — four rings a Bhillin' nnd they might win 'arf a suv'rin." Gentlemen sportsmen did walk up, nnd investing their shillings, wero supplied with four rings each, which they tried from a distance of two yards on to tho board. If a ring fairly surrounded any circle, the gentleman sportsman received tho amount inscribed thereon. But they seldom succeeded m fairly surrounding any circle, and the shillings flew lairly into Peter Paul'B exchequer. But tho eagle eye of tho law, a9 embodied m tho police, was on Peter Puul, and os he, after being warned to desist, persisted m his nefarious "lectio gamo," he was incontinently marched off to the cells nnd provided with n night's board and lodging free, but hardly gratis. Yesterday Peter Paul waa brought before tho outraged majesty of tho law, personified by His Worship the Mayor of Waimato. Constable Field and another policeman described the game to His Worship, asserting that it wns a game of chanco and unlawful. Peter Paul as stoutly maintained that it was a game of skill, and adduced the polieo of of Dunedih as ovidence m support of his theory. However, His Worship did not seem to think that tho opinion of the Dunedin " foorce " as quoted by Peter Paul was infallible, and expressed a desire to know more of the game. Thereupon ono of tho policeman essayed to demonstrate praetiodly the procedure, and though ho bad eleven throws which, on the course, would have cost him 2s 9d, ho was unsuccessful m winning anything. But this was hardly satisfactory. Tho police wero prosecuting, and the constablo mny not have been exerting his utmost skill. So His Worship toW Peter Paul that he might select any gentleman from tho body of the Court to try ngain. A gentleman was found wi'Hng, and ngdn tho eleven rings were thrown, resulting this timo m a win of Is 6d (at a cost of 2s 9d) to tho thrower. Petor Paul was jubilant, but his joy was short-li Ted. His Worship said he had" somo doubts yet remaining, but still ho felt justified m fining Peter Paul a note, and m confiscating tho materials. The requirements for several other unlawful games werj found upon Mr Chapman, but as no cbargo m connection with them had been made, they were not confiscated. In future, probably tho Dunedin district, where tho police avo lesa particular apparently, will enjoy the distinction of Mr Peter Paul Chapman's enterprises.