PAKAPOO AGENT.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 239, 8 October 1932, Page 9

PAKAPOO AGENT.

CHINESE FINED £25.

EUROPEANS ON PREMISES.

MAGISTRATE'S COMMENT.

Executing, a search warrant, Detectives Brady, Sneddon, Hayes and Sutherland went to a Chinese laundry at 40, Pitt •Street, shortly before three o'clock yesterday afternoon and arrested Lum Ming and five Europeans. A considerable quantity of pakapoo tickets and other material used in connection with the game of pakapoo were seized by the raiding detectives.

This morning Lum Ming, .aged 60, appeared before Mr. P. K. Hunt, S.M., in the Police Court, when, he pleaded guilty to a charge of using the premises as a common gaming house. ..i

Detective Sergeant Kelly said that wihen the detectives entered the lock-up shop used as* a laundry they found Lum Ming sitting at a table marking pakapoo tickets. Five Europeans were also found in the room. They were brought before Mr. W. R. McKean, S.M., yesterday afiternoon and each fined £1 for being found without lawful excuse in a common gaming house. He added that the place was fitted up for the sale of pakapoo tickets. Lum Ming had £11 when he was arrested.

Counsel said that Lum Ming was a gardener by occupation, but he was lame and unable to perform his usual work, so he began to act as a pakapoo agent. It would be impossible for him to pay a fine, as "he was destitute. He was merely an agent for the principals who conducted the game.

The magistrate said that the trouble was that Chinese by selling pakapoo tickets were encouraging white men to go to such places.

"Lum Ming is a decent man himself and has never 'been in trouble before, but, as your Worship says, this illegal gaming might spread still further, causing Chinese and Europeans to mingle," added Mr. Kelly.

Lum Ming was fined £25, or three months' imprisonment, and was allowed a week in which to pay the line.