HEAVIER PENALTIES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 16, 20 January 1939, Page 8

HEAVIER PENALTIES.

MAGISTRATE'S WARNING. GAMBLING ON WHARVES. "On January 4 he was fined a total of £10 for a similar offence and apparently it did not act as a deterrent. I will have to fix penalties that will be a deterrent," said Mr. W. R. McKean. S.M.. this morning in fining Leonard Augustus William Reazley, aged 20. labourer, £22 10/. Keazlev, who was defended by Mr. Noble, pleaded not guilty to being a rogue and vajmbotul in that he played a game of ohatice (crown and anchor) oil the Central wharf on January 17. A traffic officer, who was acting as gatekeeper on the wharf oil the da'v ill question, gave evidence that he 'had seen the aecused among a group of men; accused wa« going through all the actions of one shaking dice in a tin and paying out atld collecting motley. He telephoned the police and when Constable Hull arrested accused he had a crown and anchor board m his possession. Several witnesses for the defence gave evidence that tliev were present among the group of men'and swore that the accused was not playing crown and anchor. Sub-Inspector Fox, who prosecuted, said that gambling on the wharves had becrune a very serious nuisance. The majority of waterside workers were against it. Tn imposing a fine nf £22 10/ Mr McKean said that the offence carried imprisonment up to one Vear, and if accused appeared before' the Court again he would probably receive term of imprisonment. In default of the tine of £22 10/ he would be sentenced to six weeks' imprisonment. Ten davs would be allowed in which to pay.