BETS WITH A BOY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 62, 15 March 1922, Page 2

BETS WITH A BOY.

HJTSIDE TAKAPUNA COUBIE. W prestos raxED a>o. 10/ OK MfDGET. A man by the name of Walter Pres- ' >n was penalised to the cash value of :50 in the Police Court this morning, us being t'lie tine imposed by Mr. J. \V. oynton, S.M.. who convicted Preston t" (1) making; a bet with an infant, and I) loitering on Lake Road, Devonport. n January 30 last for the purpose of etting. According to Preston's record, hich was placed in the hands of the tagistrate, the man 'hat! already been jnvk-ted 2S times, and included in this <t were many affairs such as betting, laying t\vo-up, and other offences ri'ited to gambling. The evidence against Preston was iven by Frederick Joy, a lad 17 years nd 10 months old, who said he was sellig rncecanU on the Takapuna course on anuary HO. and went out into Lake toad, where lie met the ai-ensed. He aye him 10/ as a bet on Ko Bother. 0/ on Midget, and 3/ on Tactful, handis; him 255/ altogether. JjiteT on, when γ-o Bother was scratched, he went to im for the 10/ hack, and told him he lijfht want to put it on still later, he went to Preston in comany witli the Barnes brothers and col?ct"ed £3 10/ off him. for Midgot 'had ■on and had ]>aid £7 0/fi for a pound, "oy said he had previously had bets ,-ith Preston at Avondale. Ho never iade 'bets on the tote. We gave some ioney to accused as a bet on The but could not remember how iurf>. DIVIDEND PAID UP. Tlie Barnes brothers witnessed the aynient of three pound notes and one , en-shilling note to their friend .Toy by J 'reston, and said so in Court. Detective Cnijifht also gave evidence that he had ecu Preston walking about outside the our«e on the main road, that he had witnessed conversations between Preston nd Joy; that races were being held, and hat the horses mentioned by Joy were njraged to run on that day. In defe.nce. .Mr. J. F. W. Dirckson said here was no proof, to hie mind, that 'reston had loitered, under the legal iieaniii£ of the term. He was not pernitted to be on a racecourse, so he must icrforce stay outside, and look over the ence if lie wanted to see the horses run. >n the day in truest ion he was there rith hundreds of others, and he could iot be held to be loitering unless he had irevioiisly been told U> move on. Counsel herefore submitted that accused ehouhl iot be convicted on this charge. Aβ re:ards the information that he had betted rith an infant, counsel suggested that he idea behind this section was that ot ireventing a mature man taking advanage of a youth. This had not been so n the case before the Court. Furthernore, this was the first time Preston had >een charged with this particular offence. le pleaded guilty. '"Convicted and dischargeJ" was the erdict on the loitering charge. Preston ias convicted and fined £50, with costs imounting to £4 15/, for betting with he feoy.