C AMINO & GAMBLING. 



body of peons, and exerted himself to (he utmost to 

 prevent clandestine gambling ; ami what self-interett 

 urged either of these individuals to do, could not, it 

 miiy safety he state d, have been effected by any police ; 

 w bile, at the same lime, these very peons were of 

 material assistance to the regular police by raulii- 

 ptying the chances of debet ini; offenders of ev«py 

 description, who now thcltcr themsehes under what 

 Avnnld else be no cloak to guilt. It will he shew u 

 in the account of the Chinese clubs, in wl.a1 extent 

 that portion of the population can nullify the law 

 where positive; and make the most of any relaxation 

 of the law in regard to luxuries, and gaming. 



It might be perhaps ur^ed that by an advocacy of 

 |U€h principles, taxing might he extended to keepers 

 of houses of bud fune. But here the analogy holds 

 but partially; any such licensing and taxing* would 

 direetly lend to increase the crime of seduction, It 

 is pretty well known that the non-licensing system, 

 by leaving such places in a manner within the pale 

 of nuisances, wilhnul exposing them to much real 

 danger, operates in a great degree, as an encourage- 

 ment to them. 



'Hie unprecedented extent to which gaming ifr 

 now carried on in the Straits Settlement*, with nil 

 but perfect impunity, cannot fail, one would imagine, 

 to huve a much vu>i>e moral influence as ret'ard> 

 the ostensible and promulgated intent and operation 

 of the law affecting it — perhaps eveu of ihe taw as a 

 whole — man if this practice were to be treated and 

 stigmatized as a vice of so penurious a nature to 

 society as to require that its intensity should be di- 

 minished aitd it* ramifications cutoii'by ftscal arrange- 

 ments of local applicability and proved t fm ;tv.* 



- li t J: i proposed at different timea were, to allow of a certain num- 

 ber «f gaming-houses, w hich were 10 be opened M dny-lig1it ami shui up at 9 

 p. a. under a heavy penalty. 



