SUNDAY'S SAID

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 151, 29 June 1927, Page 9

SUNDAY'S SAID

ON A CHEESE SHOP.

yjELDS £300 IN FINES. • ''YOU CANNOT STOP IT.** f ■ ! Sunday's raid detectives who Visited tbo Nanking Cafe and chop sucy in Grey Street and arrested 6« Chinese on various charges has swelled ■the Consolidated Fund to the extent of «QO. Of tilc ,lLi arrested, 42 were dealt v jth on Monday morning, when £llts *as in t ! lics \ TJle other 24 came before the Police Court this morning, nvien the three principals were each fned £50, and 17 others, found on the premises, £- each. This makes a total of f3OO in fine>. j'lus police expenses ordered to be paid. The Case or Feng Hung. Fong Hung was charged with wilfully mermitting the ['remises to l>c used as a, common gaining house, and Ah Wing an d Ah Lee with u.-u:g the premises as a common ganiiug house. Hr. long appeared for l'ong Hung, ■who pleaded not guilty, and also for Ah Win?, who "'faded guilty. Ah Lee also pleaded guilty. ilr, lony admitted that Hung was ihe keeper of the house, also that fan ;tan and dominoes were games of chance, but not mali jong. Evidence was given by Plain Clothes Constable Angus AleD. Sutherland, who gaid that on June 4 he went to the cafe and bought a pakapoo ticket for 1/. There were sixteen Chinese in'one room ■when he was there. He also went to •the premises on June 7, 15, 17, 18, 19, 20 25 and on the night of the raid, June--26. On each occasion he purchased pakapoo tickets from Ah Wing and marked off the squares in the room. Not once did he draw a prize. On several occasions he saw Europeans, Maoris and Hindus on the premises. One night he taw about 70 Chinese downstairs playing dominoes for money. He could also Jiear the clink of money upstairs. Detective Sergeant O'Brien, Detectives O'Sullivan, W hito and Packman then described what occurred when thev raided the house on Sunday. Fong Hung was the occupier and lived on the premises. He had paid the rent since 1925, « rent book being produced. The basement was fitted up as a gaming house, lie tables being covered with matting •nd blankets. In the rush that took place downstairs when the raid was made, about 12 Chinese made a grab for money on the tables and then rushed upstairs. Ah Wing was found in one room marking pakapoo tickets. In another room four Chinese were playing mah jong for small stakes. Two Chinese were having meals in the restaurant ■when the police entered. When Detective White went upstairs he saw Fong Hung throw an opium pipe and lamp out of the window. The room reeked of opium smoke. There were four bedrooms upstairs containing in all 1& !beds. Fong Hung had in his possession a sum of £99. Half of this was found ®n him, the balance being in a cashbox.

On behalf of Fong Hung, Mr. Tong said that he had been in business for many years, and had never been in any trouble previously. He let the basement to Ah Lee, who frankly admitted that he had used it for gambling. On the first floor, just in from Grey Street, was the restaurant. A legitimate restaurant business was here carried on. To prove this Mr. Tong submitted invoices and accounts showing that Fong Hung's poultry bill averaged £45 for one week, the meat bill £20, while quite a considerable quantity of rice was also bought and used. The top floor was subdivided into four bedrooms and was used as a boardimrhouse, where visiting Chinese stayed. The restaurant was kept by accused, who conducted it as such and separate from Ah Lee's gambling room in the basement. "The restaurant is used as a meetinghouse," said Mr. Tong. "When Chinese entertain they don't go to the theatres like we do. They have a big feed, and all their friends meet in caucus. The evidence does not suggest that Fong Hung sold or marked pakapoo tickets or .that he conducted the pakapoo bank. The evidence is very weak against Fonj; Pung." Continuing, counsel pointed out that Inah jong was not a game of chance. It Was a game that superseded bridge in many clubs, and that it reqquired a good memory and much skill in playing. The four men found playing it were enjoying a friendly game. Fong Hung was not concerned with the gambling that went en .below. The £99 found on him belonged mostly to hoarders who deposited their money with him for eafety. Three Fines of £50. Chief Detective Cummings submitted that he had established a prima facie case, which had not been answered by Mr. Tong's client. Mr. McKean said that he must convict (Mcused. He would be lined £50. All Wing was then fined £50. Ah Lee, who was not represented by counsel, then had something to say. '"I pay £2 per week to Fong- Hung for the bottom room," he told the magistrate, Hr. W. R. McKean. "No harm us poor Chinamen playing a quiet game when ye meet on Sunday. You cannot stop it, we only play somewhere else after." "Probably what you say is quite true, but I will try to stop this gambling by making it expensive. There is no harm in your, meeting there, but the law says you must not gamble. You will be fined £50 too," said Mr. McKean. Each of the three men fined were allowed two weeks in which to find the amount of their fines. The qtiartet who were caught playing ttah jong were then dealt with," kh long, All Ton;;, Ah Sing and Ah Wong each being fined £2. Tho next quarter of an hour was spent by the magistrate, chief detective and clerk of court in juggling with the names of the others, it was found that there were three Ah Fongs and more Al. lees. After nuu-Ii trouble 13 of them pleaded guilty, and were each fiued £2. It really paid them to run upstairs when tlie police entered, because the others who were found downstairs were fined £3 on Mondav.

All Young said tii.it he was a border, and was in bod ill when the police called. His case was dismissed, n> was also the '•harge against Ah Kee. who wont into to buy aba- of Chinese huns not long before <he detectives raided the place. "He had the buns all right. I saw him with thorn, and lie was enjoying one while T μ-sis taking his name," stated the chief detective.

Another Ah l.e<\ hi* father, Ah Yee. and a friend by the name of Ah Fong. a 'l of whom said that they did not gamble, but who went to the house io see a man about the purchase- of a horse 'and cart, pleaded not guilty. The charges against the trio were dismissed, although as tin. magistrate said, he was a little doubtful about three men going to buy a horse and cart. Thou there "Was the case of a young Chinese, a recent arrival from China. His ea«o was also diMiiUsod after h« had told the court that. Ik. wcni in tho Nanking Cafe to get the key of the house from his Sjdg with whom ho resided. ■ gfcdiii