The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-02-14 00:00:00

GAMBLING and BETTING in the CIVIL

SERVICE.

The Postmaster-General has just issued an official
instruction upon this subject, in which he says: "
case having recently occurred in which betting on
horses and playing with cards, for stakes far beyond
what the players could afford to lose' were proved to
have taken place, not only on the official premises, but
in some instances during the offioial hours, the Post-
master-General has felt constrained to direct that the
superior officer who had taken part in and encouraged
these malpractices should be dismissed, and that of
six subordinates one should be required to resign and
five be reduced in their class, the reduction ranging from
4 to 44 steps. A postman also who acted as housekeeper
has been deprived of the housekeepership, as well as
his good-conduct stripe. The Postmaster-General
deems it his duty to make these punishments known
by way of warning, as in the case of Post-Office
servants be regards gambling in any form as a most
serious offence, and one which it is incumbent on him
to put down in an exemplary manner."' The Post-
master-General also reissues a notice concerning
betting which appearad in the Post-Office Circular of
August 26, 1878, as follows: "Any servant of the,
Department who shall hereafter be concerned ia
betting will render himself liable to dismissal."

NEWSVENDORS' BENEVOLENT AND
I
PROVIDENT INSTITUTION.
On Tuesday evening the annual general meeting of
the subscribers, supporters, and members of this insti-
tution (which is under the patronage of the Earl of
Derby and the Earl of Rosebery), wag held at the
office of the society, 28, Martin's-lane, Cannon-street,
London, Mr. W. Gage Spicer in the chair. In sub-
mitting the 46th annual report, the Board of Man-
agement, in the first place, thanked those friends and
supporters who had so generously helped them in the
course of the past year. It appeared from the report
of the Managing Committee that during the twelve-
month past particulars regarding the organisatimi had
been sent to every newsvendor whose name appeared
in the London Directory, while the secretary pur-
posed calling upon each of those with the view to
inducing them to become members of the
society. With pleasure the Managing Com-
mittee announced that the Right Hon. W. E.
Forster, had kindly promised to preside at
the annual festival of file institution, to be held at the
Prince's Hall, Piccadilly, on March 11, on which occa-
sion the entire resources of the hall and picture gal-
lery will be placed at the service of the party. The
statement of accounts showed the total receipts for the
year to have been .£1675 17s. Bd., of which subscrip-
tions made up £202 13s. 6d., and donations—including
the John Francis Memorial Fund—.£llo9 17s. 6d.
Pensions to the amount of £298 lbs., and temporary
assistance to the extent of £B4 7s. had been given;
these items, with other outlays, bringing the total
expenditure to £668 15s. 11d. After the adoption of
the report and balance sheet and the election of officers
for the year, the election of pensioners on the funds
o ' the society was proceeded with.