BOOKMAKER FINED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLII, Issue 13015, 4 November 1905, Page 7

BOOKMAKER FINED.

■ {HEAVIER FINES NEEDED TO PUT" ;y> ■-;., .,;■ DOWN BETTING. . John* .CuunTOX, a local bookmaker,, : was brought .before Mr.. C. O. ; Kettle, 8.M., at the; Police Court yesterday, 'on charges.of having Unlawfully kept-an office- in Vulcan Lane' contrary to. the Gaining 'and potteries Act, and also of having, on October 4, made a bet with John Duggan, at totalisator odds, on tho Welter Handicap, run at —.awke's Bay.--- •■:■.■- .-■ > ■ .':■■/.- ' .

Mr. J, R. Reed pleaded guilty on behalf of Churton. He informed the Court that his client had been at the business only a short time. Ho had thought'it. better to take a room rather than bet on the street, as it would not cause:,so,much annoyance. One witness in,tho case had claimed £6 expenses,: and he asked the magistrate to. take; .that into consideration when fixing the penalty, which, he hoped, would not. be too heavy. \ , .. ' '.:" . ■■ ■■ " : : Mr. Kettle (to Mr. Reed): Is this the only office in Vulcan Lane used for this purpose? Mr. Reed (laughingly): I don'.t know. I daro say n0t..... - ... ~ ... •Mr.. S. Mays, who appeared for the Crown, said that the .defendant had produced his books and given no trouble. ' . The Magistrate: I have no evidence before mo how long he kept this office? : i Mr.' Reed: I am.instructed under a year. • ' The Magistrate said that, in his opinion, there ..were. ..no mitigating circumstances in tho ease. The defendant had evidently '/clone- the. thing deliberately. Ho would inflict a fine of £50 on the first charge, and £20 'on tho second. •.'' Mr- : Reed: The man pleads guilty, .and ■ itell'j! the whole of the facts. - .. . The Magistrate": I can't help it. That is my decision. • • .-..-.' ..,,, ■•■ Mr. Rocd asked for a month in which to pay -l ho. (inc. , ''* '.*. The Magistrate:..! have no wish to send ; the,. defendant to.- gaol. If he getsjnto the '.box s and satisfies. ma that he cannot" pay all of it, and pays riart of it down, I will give him time. ( ■■-. .',-■ '.-.,- :. •;

! Churton tlion intimated to his counsel that ho would pay at once, and produced the required amount, £70 in fines, and £8 19s costs. ..- ■■'..;. ■•■'•. : '

. Tho Magistrate then remarked that it was said it was impossible to put down this kind 'of thing and sly grog-selling. This, he said, was due to the absurd fines inflicted.. In many cases fines of £5, £10, or £30 were regarded by the defendants as nothing, and tho only way to put a stop to it was by imposing heavier penalties. Robert Walker, clerk for John Churton, was charged 'with unlawfully acting as agent for Churton in making an unlawful bet with John Duggan. On the application of Mr. Mays the charge was withdrawn.