GAMBLING A GREAT WRONG IN SOCIETY, SAYS MINISTER

Wanganui Chronicle, 6 November 1950, Page 4

GAMBLING A GREAT WRONG IN SOCIETY, SAYS MINISTER

AUCKLAND, Last Night (P.A.).— “The Church must refuse to use any forms of gambling raffles and games of chance in church bazaars, sales of work and other functions,” said the Rev. J. S. Somerville in presenting the report of the Public Questions’ Committee to the Presbyterian General Assembly. "Gambling is a great wrong in society. The influence of the betting shops will be very strong throughout the community and the Church must take a clear line in its opposition to gambling in all forms." Speaking on the suggestion that betting pools should be introduced into New Zealand, Mr Somerville said: “It has been suggested that such methods should be used to gather funds for sport and that they could be run for the good of sport, but to use the wits of gambling to assist sport would be playing with fire. Do we want sport polluted and commercialised?”

Mr Somerville expressed appreciation of the courage and conviction of the members of both Houses of Parliament who voted against the Gaming Bill. “Many of them were church members," he said.

The assembly decided to direct its congregations to carry out its decisions which do not permit gambling tor church purposes.