KINGSDALE CASE.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 116, 17 May 1924, Page 5

KINGSDALE CASE.

TWO MEN SENTENCED. RICHARDS TO OWE TEAR. "THE MASTER MIND." / (By Telegraph.—Press Ansorlatlon.) DUNEDIN, this day. Mr. Justice Reed sentenced John Richards and Walter Leonard James Cameron, convicted of conspiracy in the Kingsdnle. The Dingo trotting ringingin case, the former to 12 months' hard labour and the latter to six months. Speaking for Richards prior to the sentence, counsel, when referring to the prisoner's probity in business, said that this offence took place in a pursuit in which people sometimes found it difficult to draw the line. No one considered it improper to conceal performances to the extent of deceiving the public. His Honor commented: "It is a verybad thing for racing if it is a fact that it changes an honest man in business to a dishonest man in sport." Sentencing Richards and Cameron Mr. Justice Reed said: "The facts of thie case show that the conspiracy was one of considerable deliberation and care. Though I am quite prepared to accept the police statement that the master mind was the employer Richards, Cameron being more or less a tool, at the same time Cameron was thoroughly cou"eersant with everything going on and must have taken part in- consideration of the scheme from the first. "The most disquieting feature of the case is that it is perfectly obvious that quite a number of people, if they had communicated with the police, would have assisted in sheeting home the crime, but they remained silent, and in some cases have wilfully tried to put the police off the track. Such persona could not have all been participators in the swindle, but it seems that a certain section of the racing fraternity Jook with complacency on this sort of thing. It is probably correct that certain things are winked at in racing that gradually lower the moral standard. It certainly had that effect in this case. I accept the statements of counsel and the evidence of employers that in ordinary business prisoners were men of probity. It does seem there is some special cause to make men of that nature embark on a swindle of this sort. The case must be marked by imprisonment.