Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (IA journalofstra15161885roya).pdf/320

 placing the unsuccessful gamblers in a position amounting to sui- cide. Parents, husbands, wives, sisters, brothers, and not seldom, employers also, undergo great affliction, bringing through its con- sequence the greatest distress to the community at large.

4. That this method of gambling contains 37 signs or numbers, namely:-Unn Soo; Thye Peng: Kong Beng; Cheng Soon, Jit-San; Mob Lim; Seang Cheow; Hoay Kuan: Che Koe; Cheng Hoon; Cheam Khoay; Eng Scing; Sam Hoey; Kew Kuan; Guat Poh; Ban Kim; Khoon San; Kin Geok; Hup Hie; Beng Choo; Kung Soo; Kong Choon, Cheng Lee; Hock Soone; Eive Lee; Pit Tek; Han Hoon; Thean Sin; Thean Liang; Cheng Guan; Guan Kwei; Guan Keat; Keat Pin; Phan Kwei; Im Hoey; Hup Tong; and Chee Tek.

5. That your Memorialists would beg to call attention that "Wha Hoey" gambling is a game of fraud and imposition, it is not managed as other gambling games, with the "Wha Hoey keepers it is always "Heads I win and Tails you lose." By other games the person wishing to go in for a chance does so personally. but in "Wha Hoey" agents are procured to act for him or her. "Wha Hoey" is in fact carried on by way of proxy; for example, a lady will send her servant or servants to stake for her, or the keeper sends his orderly secretly to the parties' house to collect the monies and numbers of tickets that the party may choose to hazard on. The parents, husbands, or employers being "unaware of what is being done, and, if there is not ready cash. the party he or she secretly pawns jewels, and other paraphernalia and the proceeds therefrom with the hazard tickets are deposited to the keeper's orderly, if the party loses he or she never see any part of their stake again.

6. That most of the Chinese servants employed by Europeans and Chinese families cause their employers any amount of anxiety and annoyance, for, when they receive money to purchase things for domestic purposes they squander it away upon "Wha Hoey" then, supply their employers with inferior and detrimental victuals.

7. That this fraudulent system of "Wha Hoey" gambling is not in any way discouraged by the authorities in Penang, because as far as your Memorialists know they have no power by Law to do so. It is carried on in Institutions got up for the purpose, but here exist places where certain parties who cannot well attend the Institutions meet at some private place which is secured for the purpose, and the gambling gone on clandestinely undisturbed by the proper Officials. Whereas in Perak, Selangore, the Dutch and