SECOND £20 FINE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 251, 22 October 1937, Page 8

SECOND £20 FINE.

MAN CAUGHT IN BAR.

Entering the bar of a hotel at noon on October 7, Detective T. W. Allsopp found Frederick William Crane carrying on the business of a bookmaker. Crane appeared on summons in the Police Court to-day and pleaded guilty.

Detective-Sergeant McHugh said Crane handed over a couple of homemade double charts to the detective as soon as he was caught. These showed that he had laid 31 doubles, the highest being at £8 to 2/. He was not in a large way of business. Five years ago he had been fined £20 on a similar charge. "The worst feature is that he was operating in the hotel," said Mr. McHugh.

It was pointed out by Mr. E. J. Wright, on defendant's behalf, that Crane never operated from any hotel. He merely happened to be in t';e bar when the detective entered. "In a porting circles he cannot be designated a bookmaker in the popular sense of the word, for he only had a little over £1 in his possession when he was caught," counsel said. "Crane was seriously wounded and gassed at the war, and was on full pension until a few years ago, when it lapsed. Not wishing to go on sustenance, lie foolishly has done a little betting in a small way." "He was fined £20 five years ago," said Mr. C. 1?. Orr Walker. S.M. "I won't increase the line now. He will be fined another £20."