FINED £200.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 218, 12 September 1923, Page 4

FINED £200.

FOR STREET BETTING. "CLEABLT A BOOKMAKER." Two fines, each of £100, were imposed on Loftus Richards (54) in the Police Court this morning, for having been in Symonds Street for the purpose of betting." iir. F. K. Hunt, S.M., was on the Bench. A charge in respect of August 24 was proceeded with in the first instance, defendant, who was represented by Mr. Hogben, pleading not guilty. (Detective Meiklejohn deposed to having seen defendant in .Symonds Street, Khyber Pass and Karangahape Road, on several occasions, going through actions suggestive of making bets. A crowd of men, whom the detective described as "the racing fraternity," were in the habit of gathering at the top of Symonds Street, and defendant was usually with them. On August 24, after defendant had acted in a manner indicative of making bets, Detectives Meiklejohn and O'Sullivan arrested defendant. On being searched, 41 double-charts were found in his pockets, and £43 in money. The fact that double-charts were found in the possesson of Richards did not prove that he had been in Symonds Street for the purpose of betting, or that he had made bets there, submitted Mr. Hogben. He also suggested that the detective could not have known whether defendant wae making bets when lie saw him with men in the street. '•I am quite satisfied that he was there for the purpose of betting," said Mr. Hunt, S.M. "The material found in his possession -clearly shows that he is a bookmaker. The evidence of Detective Meiklejohn is quite clear. He has known the man for a long time, and knows him well. I am quite satisfied" that the charge is proved. Do you know anything about him, Chief Detective Commings?" "'Yes, sir. He has been fined £75 for keeping a gaming house, £100 for betting on licensed premises, and £50 at a later date on a similar charge," replied Mr. Cummings. "Not charged since 1917, I see," observed the magistrate. "Pretty lucky, sir," replied the chief detective. "He is fined £ 100 on this charge," said his Worship. This being his first offence under the particular section of the Gaming Act infringed, imprisonment was not provided for. The chief detective said he would offer no evidence on all the other charges but one, providing defendant would plead guilty to that charge. In conforming to this, Mr. Hogben asked that, since it was a continuous offence, the magistrate might not impose a term of imprisonment. "I'll not do that," said Mr. Hunt, S.M., "but I will fine him £100 on this charge also, and see if we can keep him off the street that way!"