BRIBERY CHARGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 1, 2 January 1930, Page 5

BRIBERY CHARGE.

HAMILTON BOOKMAKER. HEARING ADJOURNED. £300 FINES ON OTHER CHARGES. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) HAMILTON, Wednesday. Harry Abraham Samuels, a tailor, was yesterday f.ned £100 for keeping a common gaming house, and £200 for bookmaking. The magistrate, Mr. Wyvern Wilson, adjourned until January 8 the hearing of a third charge, which is as follows: — " That o.i December 21, not b-;ing a member of the Police Forivs of New Zealand, he did give a bribe, to wit, a case of pipes and £10 in money each, to Detective-Sergcant John Thompson and Detective Albert John White, members of the force, to iniuce them to forego

their duty." Mr N. S. Johnson, '.or Samuels, said Jio* r.lcaded not guilty, and -desired to be tried by a jury, inspector Rawk sought to have the case heard sumriißrjjy, but the magistrate did not agree. In, 1 rector R.iw'l3 "sulci that Samuels premises in Victoria Street were raided by two detectives shortly before noon on Tuesday, and a quantity of betting material was found. A bank pass-book was discovered showing that from May 22 last to December 28 a total of £2032 had been banked. Another pass-book showed that from February 2 of this year to December 12 a total amount of £8072 had been banked. There was information to show that the accused had been betting in a large way, continued the inspector. operations included the taking of bets from clients, in districts surrounding Hamilton, and he employed agents. At the beginning of last year he had been fined £25 for hookmaking. It was understood that he was acting as agent for a large bookmaker in Wellington. Detective-Sergeant Thompson read p letter, allegedly written by Samuels employer, congratulating Samuels upon having escaped a raid recently made by the police at Hamilton, as a result of which five men were fined for offences against the Gaming Act. The magistrate said that the case was very different from those heard at Hamilton recently. Accused had been convicted before and got off lightly. If his business was as extensive as it now appeared, the former -fine was insufficient. It appeared that his turnover was about £10,000 a year. Therp would be a very large profit on this business.