ILLEGAL SEARCH?

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 98, 28 April 1930, Page 9

ILLEGAL SEARCH?

WOMAN BOOKMAKER'S ROOM. CONSTABLE WALKED IN. MAGISTRATE'S COMMENTS. (By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.) WHANG AREI, this day. Circumstances which defending counsel submitted were unique in the history of New Zealand law were disclosed in the hearing of a charge of bookmaking against Dorothy Davenport White at the Magistrate's Court to-day. On Easter Saturday night a constable on his rounds, noticing an open door, investigated. He discovered an interior door leading into Miss White's premises was also open, and saw betting charts and other gaming material on a table, so he got another constable to accompany him. They searched the table, a cabinet and files and took away data. Later they informed White of what they had done. .She thereupon admitted having taken bets on the Waikato races. Counsel for the defendant held that the constables' action in searching premises without a warrant was illegal, and they were absolutely without right in looking at private correspondence. The magistrate said that if the constables had done wrong no doubt the Police Department \zculd deal with the matter, irrespective of whether White took action against them'.' Her signed admission was sufficient for conviction, but. as she was only dascribed as a silver better the fine would be limited to £10.