BOOKMAKING IN HOTELS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 78, 2 April 1927, Page 17

BOOKMAKING IN HOTELS.

INTERESTING POINTS RAISED. POLICE COMMISSIONER REPLIES. (By Telegraph.—Special to "Star.*) WELLINGTON, this day. Interesting points regarding bookmaking on licensed premises are raised by a correspondent in a letter to the 'Tost." He draws attention to the fact that the chairman of the Licensing Committee stated at the last quarterly meeting that the conduct of all Wellington hotels had been satisfactory, except two, the licensees of which had both been convicted of selling liquor after hours. The correspondent says it must be assumed from this that the officer of the Police Department responsible for reports on licensed hotels was not aware of the open manner in which unlawful betting was being carried on in some of the city hotels. If he were ignorant of this fact then it is clear such places are not receiving proper supervision, and must be tbe reason of the apparent laxity. A copy of the latter has been submitted to the Police Commissioner, who replies that offences leading to the recent prosecutions do not come within the provisions of the Licensing Act, and the Full Court decision decided that gambling as referred to in section IS,"> does not include betting. The police are thrown back on the provisions of the Gaming Act in order to deal with betting on licensed premises, and with offences under the latter Act the Licensing Committee has no specific power to deal. Further, although the police may have reasonable grounds to suspect betting or other improper conduct is going on in hotels, until they become possessed of evidence to support a charge which would prove justifiable, it would be highly improper to make a report to any tribunal containing assertions they weer not prepared to establish. It would be un-British and unfair to attack a hotelkceper or other person when his business interests might be prejudiced, if the official were not able definitely to prove the allegations.