DEBT REPUDIATED.

Auckland Star, Volume LV, Issue 220, 16 September 1924, Page 8

DEBT REPUDIATED.

AS A GAMBLING LOSS. ECHO OF HAZARDS SCHOOL. The "hazards school" that was recently raided by the police played a large part in the evidence given in the Magistrate's Court this morning before Mr. W. K. McKean, S.M., when W 7 illiam J.. Burman, motor mechanic (Mr Fleming) claimed £40 5/ from W. R. Robinson, horse dealer, of Three Kings (Mr. Finlay i, and the defendant repudiated the claim as a gambling debt. The plaintiff stated that he had taken over from Dave Simons in June last year four cheques, of £10 each, given to Simons by Robinson, and they had been dishonoured. Simons gave evidence that he met Robinson in the gambling school at a time when Robinson was losing, and that to pay his way, Robinson made out four cheques for £10 each, which witness cashed for him. Later he paid the cheques to plaintiff, Burman, who, he said, was not at the "school" at the time and', was unaware of the circumstances of the origin of the cheques. Robinson, an elderly man, stated that when he gave the cheques he was at the hazards school, and lost about £70 that night. He was betting with Simons, and was making bigger bets than he usually did, risking £2 and £3 on a throw of the dice. He eventually paid some of his losses to Simons with cheques of £10. He pair four such cheques, and when the amount he had lost at the moment did not amount to quite that sum lie got back the difference in cash. He. was absolutely certain that Burman was also at the school that night. There were between twenty and thirty people there. The next daySimons called at his place and said that the hank would not pay out on the cheques, as his account was overdrawn. He lost money that night to both Simons and Burman, and later he made up his mind not to.meet the cheques. Hie Worship dismissed the claim.