BETTING BUSINESS.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 244, 15 October 1929, Page 7

BETTING BUSINESS.

BOOKMAKER EXPLAINS. ACCEPTANCE OF TELEGRAMS. POST OFFICE'S PRACTICE. INSPECTOR QUESTIONED. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) GISBORNE, this day. The novelty of a self-confessed bookmaker standing in the witness box and explaining his methods of business was experienced - yesterday during' the. hearing in the Police Court of a charge of conspiracy against William"" McKinnon and Wallace Fountain. Later in the proceedings an insight was given into the Postal Department's 'attitude .iii regard to the dispatch of.betting telegrams. . The bookmaker concerned,' Arthur Joseph Yeo, was one' of the principal Crown witnesses. When under crossexamination by Mr. J. S. Wauchop, counsel for Mcdvinnon,. Yeo he had been bookmaking'.in Napier .for -many years. . .. : . -,-•<■'.-' ' \ '•' * • Mr. Wauchop: That is your occupa> tiom? —I: have other business; If you were going to join the Rotajry Club, you would-describe yourself as a bookmaker? —To tell the truths •. there are no bookmakers in the - Dominion, according to law. Yeo. was then questioned. regarding his former relations with McKinnon, before he refused to- do further business with him. He denied that • McKinnon. used to "lay off" for him with Gisborne bookmakers. He admitted that when McKinnon failed to settle with him he told the Gisborne people that McKijihon : was not paying his gambling debts.- . "No Reply" Telegrams.; .'. Witness stated that the understanding -fras that unless "no reply" was used exclusively by the man it was given-to, the wagers were' null''and void.- ' jMr... Wauchop: Did you notify Symonds (the racehorse owner under whose name McKinnon telegraphed his bets) of that?— No. . .' . . . Do"you know Whitter, the Christchurch bookmaker? —Yes. You have a Bookmakers' Association in New Zealand ?ir—Yes. You all have similar cards printed?— No, each makes his own rules up to a certain pb'int. ; '. ■ Whitter sends out cards the..same as yours? —I don't know. I -haven't seen them. He requires telegrams to be lodged 15 minutes before the starting time of the race?—He may. And he advises clients that "no reply" must be used only by the .man it is issued to?—He niay. Have you that' on. your cards?— No.

"May Be Reputed Bookmakers." Alexander Hazleton, telegraph inspector, after much evidence regarding his inquiries into the allegations, was questioned by Mr; L. T: Burnard, counsel for Fountain, re the transmission: of telegrams to bookmakers. Under the regulations, he.said, telegrams were not for bookmakers. ••-'--. Mr. Burnard: Had all-these telegrams been addressed to Yeo, would they" have been delivered?—! don't know whether the Department had been informed Yeo was a bookmaker. You":don't suggest that the Department doesn't know, like every man in the street, that Yeo is a thriving bookmaker? —Persons may be reputed book--makers,, but in my opinion it is not one of the Department's functions to say a person is a bookmaker! Does .the .Department obey its own regulations?— Yes. Then why does it deliver all these telegrams to Yeo Department doesn't deliver telegrams to Yeo,, but to the addressee. Witness added that he had no idea how many telegrams "Mr. Joseph" got on a race day. The first intimation he had of the matter was when an inquiry was asked for. Mr; - Burnardr ■ Weren't .you amazed when'.a well-known, bookmaker stepped into the office to inquire about telegrams addressed to "Joseph?"—l didn't know till-. -I arrived vdn" Napier, who '•Joseph" was. V; >: Accepting Officer's Duty. i Did you then give instructions that no more telegrams should be delivered to Yeo?—Betting telegrams., Well, what sort of telegrams did you think they were?—lt /was .obvious they were betting telegrams, but.it was the duty of the accepting officer to obtain a certificate from the sender that they were not betting, messages. .♦",.-. Did you take steps to prevent telegrams being sent to "Joseph"?— No. . Did you tell Yeo he shouldn't receive betting telegrams ?,—No. . Have the-, employees been instructed to take rio more betting telegrams for Yeo?—No. You don't consider it.your duty to notify, the Department of your discoveries doubt some steps will be taken in due course. .