The Review of Reviews. 



Augutt 1. lyj6. 



do the work if it was used scientifically. As against 

 an up-to-date measure, it ni;iy be only an old type 

 of muzzle-loader as compared with a modem breech- 

 loading magazine rifle, but the old muzzle-loader 

 could do effective work if it were used, and used in 

 the i)reper way. And ineffective as the law in Vic- 

 toria is .IS ccxnpared with what it might be, it yet 

 is quite sufficient to clear out of Melbourne the 

 hangers-on, the unemployed as far as honest legiti- 

 mate work is concerned, who flourish on gambhng. 

 The l)est authority on this is, of course, the man 

 who holds the weapon in his hands and uses it. If 

 he says it can do the effective work it is intended 

 for, it is reasonable to believe it. 



A few weeks ago, I contended that the adminis- 

 tration of the Victorian (."hief Secretary's De])art- 

 ment (Sir Samuel Gillott) had been shamefully lax, 

 that I had the authority of one of Melbourne's lead- 

 ing lawyers to say so, and that, this being so, there 

 was no reason why the flagrant breaches of the law, 

 apparent to "the wayfaring man, though a fool," 

 should not tie allowed to go unpimished. To this 

 Sir Samuel Gillott replied through the Press: — 



Mr. J'ldkins endeavours to claim credit in his declara- 

 tion that the law as al present existing is strong enough 

 to deal with that evil. In support of that statemeCt he 

 alleges that he has obt^iined an opinion to that eflect 

 from one of the highest legal authorities in Melbourne. 

 This information to the public is rather late in the day, 

 because I have already, some months ago, informed the 

 prblic. through the medium of the press, tliat I had been 

 advised by one of the most eminent men at the bar. Mr. 

 Cr.ssen, who is now on the Supreme Court Bench, that 

 gambling in these so-called clubs, to which most of the«e 

 remarks are directed, makes the place where it is con- 

 ducted a common gaming-house within the meaning of 

 the Act. 



But Sir Samuel Gillott condemned himself in that 

 statement. If the law- were sufficient, why was, and 

 indeed is, the evil going on unabated ? The convic- 

 tions that have been gained since are praiseworthy, 

 but gaming is as great in Melbourne to-day as it 

 was two months ago, when this statement was made. 

 These things ought to have been done, and it is well 

 they have been done, but the other and greater ought 

 not to have been left undone. Sir Samuel Gillott 

 has no one but himself to blame in this matter. Last 

 year a deputation waited upon him, and he promised 

 to look into the law . to enforce it as far as he had 

 power, and to seek to have it amended if it were not 

 powerful enough to deal with gaming. Nothing fur- 

 ther was heard of the matter. Sir Samuel Gillott 

 sought no amendments, and the " Tote " and the 

 Clulis flourished. His seeking no amendments signified 

 that he thought the law sufficient. Indeed, he now 

 states that he found it so. But if so, why are the 

 " Tote ■' and the l)etting club here still ? Sir Samuel 

 Gillott says he has gained some convictions. True, 

 but it has not stopped the tide, \\1iat do the men 

 who run these concerns care alx)ut a ^looo fine 

 even, to say nothing of _;^ioo. The place for de- 

 fiant law-breakers is the gaol. In the interests of 

 good government laws should be enforced, and per- 



sistent law-breakers hunted down like other crimi- 

 nals. If you, gentle reader, broke a law in ever so 

 light a degree as to ride a bicycle along an unfre- 

 quented footpath, quite unaw;ire of the fact that you 

 were breaking a law, you would be fined, being told 

 " There is the footpath and there is the law," but 

 a criminal even, with years of quiet meditation be- 

 hind him, might be dealing in gaming contrary to 

 the law, and the law treats him tenderly and con- 

 siderately. Why make fish of one and fowl of an- 

 other ? Laus should be enforced or repealed. In 

 the name of the community, with its best interests 

 clamouring for attention, and in the name of ordi- 

 nary common sense, either let the laws relating to 

 gaming l>e repe;Ued or enforced. If not enforced, 

 e\ery other citizen under other laws is unduly han- 

 dicapped. 



— A2fD UQUOE. 



The same words may be used to apply to the 

 Liquor laws. Their administration, especially with 

 regard to .Sunday trading and trading after hours 

 (this is sly-grog selling pure and simple) is such as 

 either to make the administration a laughing-stock, 

 or to create disgust, according to the point of view. 

 Indeed, the Sunday trade is so constant and lucra- 

 ti\e that a perfect system is employed to circumvent 

 the police. '• Spotters '' watch for the police and 

 ft)r informers, warning bells ;ue set in tl^ most un- 

 likely and indistinguish.able places, a svstem of com- 

 muniaiting w ith other hotels, termed " tic-tac," is 

 in vogue, the telephone is brought into requisition, 

 and other ingenious methods of evading detection 

 are systematically employed. The law with regard 

 to this is shockingly ineffective, and a better one is 

 promised, but the present one is badly administered. 

 Some gentlemen lately watched some of the Mel- 

 l)Ourne hotels on Sunday mornings, with a view of 

 finding how many jiersfms \isited hotels. A great 

 many were watched, with the result that an average 

 of twenty j^ersons visited each hotel in about an 

 hour. If this is multiplied by, sav, twelve hours, 

 and by the nun-lier of hotels in Melbourne and 

 suliurbs. ihe nurni er of bona-fide travellers is amaz- 

 ing. In a few hotels the law- was kept. No one 

 sought admittance. But were all these visitors bona- 

 fide travellers ? Vou smile, reader, and well you 

 may ! 



WHAT THE LAW CAX DO. 



No.v in New South Wales lately a law was passed 

 dealing stringently with this matter, with the result 

 that Sunday trading is practically stopped. Sydnev 

 is still in the same place, prosj)erous as ever, and 

 the propliets who foretold rexolution and disaster 

 because men could not break the law on Sunday are 

 discredited. A simple law administered with a strong 

 hand, would effectually stop breaches of the law. 

 Police should have easv access to hotels, buyers 

 should be fined as well as sellers, convictions should 

 lie against the house and a license forfeited after 



