WOMAN "BOOKIE."

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 9, 11 January 1934, Page 9

WOMAN "BOOKIE."

HOTEL WAITRESS. BETS TO OBLIGE STAFF. COURT GRANTS PROBATION. A young woman, a waitress, who, beside.-, waiting on guests at a city hotel during the holiday season, did a bit of "pencilling," was before Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S.M., in the Police Court to-day, on summons, when s*.:3 tearfully admitted that she liad carried on the business of a bookmaker on January 1. Sho was represented by Mr. E. 11. Northeroft. Detective-Sergeant McHugh called Detective F. Brady, who said that as tiie result of information received, he interviewed defendant. Sho was quite frank in admitting bookmaking, and she produced her betting material. She said she had only done a little betting among the staff at the hotel and that she had taken eleven bets of 2/0 each and six of 5/. She only took the wagers to oblige the staff. The magistrate asked the prosecuting detective if there were any other circumstances he desired to bring forward. Detective-Sergeant McHugh: No, sir, except that she has been betting on licensed premises. Mr. Northeroft said the circumstances had been very fairly stated by the police. During the Christmas and New Yearholidays, defendant and the rest of the staff at the hotel had been working hard and were unable to attend the races. "Sho and a few of the other girls, being interested in the events of the turf, talked matters over, and it was arranged that my client was to make a book." said counsel, "No money passed on any occasion, it being arranged that settling day was to take place after all the races, had been decided. When the police became interested and interviewed my client, the whole thing was called off. She never took any bets from boarders at the hotel or from outsiders', and the proprietor of"the hotel, who gives her an excellent character as a good worker and honest young woman, was quite unaware of the betting transactions. It is a most venial offence and is not likely to happen again." The magistrate admitted defendant to probation for 12 months, a special condition being that she is not to frequent racecourses during the period of probation.