AN EVIL TO BE FOUGHT.

Waikato Argus, Volume II, Issue 112, 27 March 1897, Page 4

AN EVIL TO BE FOUGHT.

Thk time is fully ripe to take up a decided stand against what may prove to be the ruin of all legitimxte outdoor sport. Things are coming to such a pitch that before long, unless the brake is put down sharphly, few will care to be in any way connected with sporting or athletic meetings. Opinion may bo divided as to whether betting aud gambling is in itself wroDg. By its fruits, however, it must be judged, and in that light it comes out woefully on the wrong side. There is no getting behind the fact that sport—in itself pure, honest, and most desirable—may be turned into a huge gambling concern in which charlatans who prefer " the game " to work, shall ply their calling to the injury of sport. The danger is tint athletes will be mere automata to win not on their merits but according to the position of the '.' book " A hopeful feature is the fact that efforts are being made to cure the evil. Witness the state of affairs in 'cycling circles in Australia where the athletic authorities are endeavouring to put down malpractice. Coining nearer home the same effort is being made to purify the atmosphere. At a meeting of the New Zealand Amateur Athletic Association at Christchurch last week, Mr J. F, Grierson, the chairman, mentioned that in Auckland the habit of betting was undermining all amateur sport. In the case of the races many men ran as if it were in the interests of their respective " stables." Their action in calling on the Auckland and North Shore Club* to take steps to put down the betting af any future meeting will be heartily endorsed by all t.'ne lovers of sport. Those who have the opportunity of looking behiud the scenes know full well that some of this kiud cf thing prevails even in Taranaki a province noted for healthy athleticism and pure sporr. The gambling spirit in this province is by no means minimised by the multiplicity of small racing and trotting meetings. Some of them luve been conducted on such louse principles that if the same condition of things obtain much longer " crooked " runners, " fly " bookies, the committee and unoffending horses will have things to themselves. It is a notorious tact that within the last six mouths at meetings in this district there have been disgraceful incidents. If sport is to be brought to the dust the responsibility will have to rest with those who are in a position to check wrong-doing. Of course it must be admitted that gambling—or in other words betting —cannot be entirely suppressed, although it would be much better for all if it were ; but the suppression of dishonest running, whether iu athletics or horse-racing, must be insisted on, even if punishment has to go the length of disqualification for lite. The question of whether the legalisation of the totalis.itor to the total exclusion of every other kind of betting is fair and just is another matter worthy of attention. It may safely be said' that since itiias been inade illegal to bet otherwise than through the totalisator, thousands of pounds have left the colony for Tasmanian ''sweeps," whilst innumerable " tote" shops and kindred abominations have sprung up like mushrooms, and what was intended to clear the atmosphere has only thickened it. One thing remains certain, that failure to check a giowinc evil will not be looked on with complaisance. Sporting clubs and athletic societies must take vigorous measures, and .should have the unstinted support of all fair-minded and fair-deal-ing people.—Egmont Star.