"TWO UP."

Auckland Star, Volume LXVII, Issue 271, 14 November 1936, Page 10

"TWO UP."

BIG CITY RAID.

67 MEN ARRESTED. CROWD BEFORE THE COURT. PRINCIPAL PINED £50. One of the largest and also most orderly gaming raids ever carried out by the Auckland police took place at 9.10 last night, when nine detectives, led by Detective-Sergeant A. B. Meiklejohn, ascended to the top of a threestoreyed building known as the National Sporting Club, in Swanson Street, and took the occupants completely by surprise. Sixty-seven men were arrested, three managing to escape by jumping from a window on to the roof of another building ISft below.

All of the men were taken to central police station, where they appeared before Mr. J. Kicker by, J.P., and were afterwards admitted t.o bail.

Most of the men charged appeared before Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S.M., in the Police Court this morning. Sixty-four men were charged with being found without lawful »xcuse on premises used as a common gaming house. A few did not appear. Those who did were lined up in long rows against the wall. All pleaded guilty. Men Jump on to Roof. David Henry Simons, sen., aged 50, club manager, was charged that being tiie occupier of premises at 23, Swanson Street, he used them as a common gaming house. David Henry Simons, jun., aged 20, doorkeeper, and Lachlan Mac Donald, 32, labourer, were each charged with assisting in the management of a common gaming house. Mr. J. Terry appeared for the three accused, who pleaded guilty. Detective-Sergeant Meiklejohn said that when • lie and other detectives entered the National Sporting Club, Simon, jun., was ; acting as doorkeeper. The playing room on the top floor was reached first by Detective Mahood and himself. There jvas a large crowd in the room. A few men were about the entrance to the playing.room: that was in the vicinity of the drink room and the lavatory next door. Some men rushed out of the; playing room as the detectives arrived, while others rushed towards the sides and to the far ends of the room. There was no sign of any game whatever being played, even cards or billiards. The room contained two billiard tables. There was no light over one billiard table. "We saw men huddled near an open window at the back of the room," said Detective-Sergeant Meiklejohn. "Detective Brady, who was round at the back of the building, saw four men jump about 18 feet down on to a corrugated ron roof. He detained one, the other :hree getting away. We found three ilaying kips in the room. The game layed in this room on the rear table is .wo up with dice. Every half hour 1/ s collected from each player." Club Manager's Control. "The principal, David Henry Simons, sen., told me that he was the boss of :he place and that he played t\Vo up with dice there. He said he would plead guilty to gambling in the morning. Simons said that to save a lot of time he would take me to where he kept a kip and dice, and he did so. The men in the room were orderly. In fact this was the most orderly raid ever carried out in Auckland. This was because of the control Simons exercised over the men. We have found him to be a man whose word can be accepted. He has been running/the place for seven months. This place financed by a man interested in. gaming -who stays behind the scenes." Detective-Sergeant aleiklejohn said that the two principals who were running the place some time ago were fined £50 each on October 15, 1935. They were different men. Often the leaders were changed when a raid took place. Gaming as Livelihood. "Simons, sen., was in his shirt sleeves when we entered," continued DetectiveSergeant Meiklejohn. "He came forward and said there had been gambling in the r00m... In 1927 Simons was fined £30 for assisting in the management of a common gaming house, while he was previously convicted on a bookmaking charge. He has no other convictions except for gaming. Gaming apparently is his weakness, or, I should say, his livelihood. He had his son downstairs acting as doorkeeper. Inside the door there is fitted up an elaborate system of alarm bells." Mr. Terry remarked that DetectiveSergeant Meiklejohn had very fairly stated the facts. The club premises were properly fitted up and were not exclusively used for gaming. "Your Worship will no doubt agree that colonials have an ingrained sense of gambling and indulge in.it in many fashions,"-added Mr. Terry. "The men found on the club premises last night indulged in two-up, which is,a fair game requiring no skill and played for small stakes. The management of the club has always been particularly careful to see that no intoxicated men or men of bad repute were admitted, or that men gambled beyond their means. Apart from his convictions for gaming, Simons is a respectable man."

Mr. Wyvern Wirson said he would take into account the fact that the premises were not only used for gaming, also that there was an elaborate system of electrical alarms fitted —the -very large number of men found there, and that it was nine years since Simons senior had been in trouble for gaming. "The alarm system and the number of men found shows, however, that gaming has got a firm hold," added Mr. Wilson. "The fine must be substantial. Simons is fined £50 and costs." • Mac Donald was fined £30, or one month's-ijnprisonment, and Simons, jun., was fihed;£2s, or one month's imprisonment. | How Majority Fared. | Of the 64 men charged with being I found fon the premises, those who 1 pleaded guilty and had clean records 1 were each fined £1 and costs 10/. Men who did not appear in court, but who possessed clean records, were fined £2 and costs, while three men, previously convicted of gaming were each fined £3 and costs. Two others who, the magistrate saicly had particularly bad and per-■-stent records for gaming were lined °.a and costs.

Three others who did not appear will dealt with on Monday, the adjourn-

ent being necessary because Detective Hayes could not be present to give evidence against them.