FINES TOTAL £175

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 67, Issue 159, 18 April 1947, Page 4

FINES TOTAL £175

GAMING ACT BREACHES THREE MEN PLEAD GUILTY Fines aggregating £175 were imposed by Mr G. G. 'Chisholm, S.IVL, in the Magistrate’s Court at Ashburton this morning, on three men who pleaded guilty to Gaming Act breaches, as a sequel to a police raid conducted last Saturday. Andrew Colin Davie (Mr C. G. de.C. Drury) was charged that being the occupier of premises at 174 Havelock Street, Ashburton, he did use and keep such premises as a common gaming house. Lionel Robert Thomas Kerr (Mr Drury) was charged with assisting in the keeping of a common' gaming house at the same address. Both men pleaded guilty. Senior-Sergeant G. A. Doggett explained that the premises were raided on Saturday morning last, when races were being held at Riccarton. Bettingmaterial seized showed bets to the amount of £lB7, ranging from 3s rsa to £5. On the morning of the,raid, Davie was absent, but Kerr had taken 25 bets to the amount of £27 16s.

Mr Drury pointed out that Davie was not in the best of health and simply acted as an agent. He had not been previously convicted. Davie wished it known that Kerr was not at ail to blame, being simply a friend who came in for the day. He was not employed by Davie, and was not being paid anything for his work. The Magistrate stated that he was never impressed by the plea that defendant was acting as agent. His premises were being used and he was committing the offence, while the principal was not before the court. By the evidence it was apparent that he was carrying on business in a substantial way. Davie was fined £75 and Kerr £25, •with costs 10s in each case. Each defendant was allowed three weeks to pay. Thomas .Casserley (Mr Drury) was charged with the offence of using and keeping premises at Burnett Sreet as a common gaming house. A plea of guilty was entered. The Senior-Sergeant explained that defendant was a billiard saloon proprietor and that, when the place was raided, .records found showed that 204 straight-out bets, aggregating £2BB, had been taken and 155 doubles, amounting to £llß. The bets ranged from 2s 6d to £ls. Defendant was fined £75 with costs 10s.