GAMBLING IN WELLINGTON.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume XXIX, Issue 11135, 23 February 1886, Page 2

GAMBLING IN WELLINGTON.

The Wellington correspondent of th° fjyfctelton Times writes: — Last night I ■vired you some information respecting the manipulation of art unions. Since then I nav9 heard of another art union consultation, which, however, has |been™~ carried out without the sanction of the Ooionial Secretary or the aid of hews* paper advertisements. The scene this time was laid in Wellington. Some time before the last race meeting a g&nlxxs, who for conveeienca I will call Jones, was struck with the brilliant idea that pictures might be made y to represent ' horses, and arranged *o hold an " aril union " in connection with the races' Books or tickets were printei and sent to various agents to dispose of on tha usual commission. The " pictures " wore - supposed to be views of the lakes of Xillarney. The tickets were eagerly sought after, and in due course the drawing took place. The holder of the ticket representing the winning horse was en" titled to receive £70. Upon application the sum of £40 10a was tendered to him. He declined to accept it and xnadeafaas. Jones told him that was ail tue money he had receive d from the agent. She ticket-holders went to ihe agents, who said Jones perverted the truth. The ticket-holder upon advice, returned to •/ones, and told u\va. if he did not pay up in full he would taka proceedings, and have him fiued £50, Jones assumed aa tiir of virtuous indignation.andsaidif his friend badgered him any more, he would receive nothing at all : so that the ticket-* holder took the £40 10s and had to be satiafied. 'Of course he got more than ac deserved, if less than was due to him. It seems strange that " the Gaming aud Lotteries Act, Amendment Act, 18** •>," should be thus infringed without tiie knowledge of the police. A consultation • representing some hundreds of pounds could not be carried through without some little stir. Speaking of gambling reminds me that it is carried on to an enormous extent in the city of Wellington. Booms in a very large number of the hotels are devoted to the vice, and I hear of clerks who are nightly to be seen throwing the bones for comparitively large sums of money, and losing more in a year thin twice their salaries would co?er. The billiard table in one hotel, I am assured on reliable authority, is surrounded nightly by scores of young men, who keep up the interesting game of Yankee-, grab till " the wee sma' hours ayant the twal" without let or hindrance. The police fc.o aware of the extern to which gambling is carried on, but they rarely interfere. One publican is said to net about £30 par week from the percentage demanded from the turnover iv his rooms.