BOOKMAKER FINED.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 95, 23 April 1928, Page 10

BOOKMAKER FINED.

PENALTY Of £60 IMPOSED.

"NOT A BIG BUSINESS."

A fine of £60 or in default one month's imprisonment was inflicted at the Police Court this morning on Phillip George Hugh Mulligan, 43 (Mr. Terry), who pleaded guilty to the charge of using premises in National Chambers, Swanson Street, as a common gaming house. Mohamed Ali Sunni, 31 (Mr. Alan Moody), was charged with being found ion the premises.

The cases were heard by Mr. W. R. McKean, S.M. That of Sunni, who pleaded not guilty, was heard first. The explanation given by Sunni, a professional wrestler, was that he went to the rooms for the purpose of getting correspondence regarding a proposed match in Australia. Mulligan was assisting him in his business. Mr. McKean said he would accept Sunni's explanation. There was no evidence that he was oil the premises for betting purposes. He dismissed the charge.

On behalf of Mulligan, Mr. Terry said it was true he was keeping this place as a common betting house. He was convicted before for assisting to conduct. a common gaming house. He was" in a very small way.

Senior-Sergeant McCarthy said that the position was that the man had been fined £25 for assisting to run a common gaming house in January of last year. He eventually "took over the business in which he was assisting. Instead of being in a small way his premises were equipped with (telephone and complete ! betting outfit. The books found by the police showed that the business ran into big figures. While the police were on the premises more than 20 persons rang up for bets. It was not a haphazard business. The books were well kept. In some cases there were double bets of 200 to 1 and 300 to 1. There was half a page of In the Shade bets.,

Mr. Terry did not agree with the police statement that it was a big business. The detectives in court could say there were seven or eight bigger bookmakers doing business in Auckland.

i In giving judgment, Mr. McKean said [he had taken into consideration the factl that Mulligan had pleaded