£300 IN FINES

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIII, Issue 236, 6 October 1942, Page 4

£300 IN FINES

BETTING PREVALENT

BOOKMAKING CHARGES

Ftcrrnt vih.v H< ft i in '""'okmaklng premises in the city resulted in 1110 appearance of four men and ;i woman in the Police ' 'ourt to-day for a breach of the '.amine Act. Fines totalling I'.'JOO Imposed hv Mi-. .[ .Alotlin.tr ■•vi . mi flie defendants, .ill of whom pleaded guilty. In prosecuting t,) l(> f ,lenders Senior Detective I \V;iKh said this pactional- tvpo <-.| oifonoe was Meconium ntorn prevalent. probably because of Ihe pien11 tide of monev. Snt>s(;inl ial (liislucs-. Elotli these MH'i i are connected lie- .1111.• busine-is wl' betting, 'A'hich has been conducted in a tobae- ' oniat's shop, and both have been "cevjou- Iv convicted for breaches of iho Caming Aft," sail I Mr. Walsh ' ''tei i itu' lo laonal Arthur I taker (12) mil (.'hrislupher Clarnett Molloy (.'{B), tor whom Mr. Bono appeared.'Baker was charged with being the occupier "I premises used as a common naming house, and Mollov with is.-,if.tiug in the conduct, of the business. Mr. Walsh added that, both were in ■ i substantial way of business, which ■ nclttdof I all types of betting. Mr. Lli ifte, on behalf of both men. aid the prevalence of betting might tie due to human nature being what it. was, and the legalised system of betting on the totalisator riot, being at. the disposal of those wtio desired io make a wager, due to travel restrict ions and other causes. Many people who were unable to attend a racecourse were forced to bet with men like Baker and Molloy. "Both my clients always meet their obligations, and it may be said that thev have been breaking the law in a gentlemanly way," added counsel. It. was also stateel by Mr. Bone that. Raker had volunteered for active serv ice a long time ago, but after being passed tit had met with an accident. Recently he had been re-graded and expected to be called up for service m New Zealand.

Remarking that Molloy's previous < onvictions were more recent than those of Baker, who had not been convicted since 1936, Mr. Morling fined the former £100 and Baker £7)0. Fine of £75 Imposed "This is another man who has a legitimate business of a tobacconist's ■hop and Indulges in betting." said Mr. Walsh concerning William Mremner Allan (54), charged with using premises which he occupied -is a common gaming house. Beulah Hilda Blanche Curtis (2fi) was charged with assisting in the conduct of such premises.

Mr. Dickson, appearing for the two defendants, pointed out that Allan occupied the premises in a temporary capacity and was carrying on the shop during the owner's absence at the war. Mrs. Curtis, whose husband was on overseas service, had two young children and assisted Allan on Saturdays. "That very learned and respected judge, the late Sir Charles Skerrett, once said this," continued Mr. Dickson, "While you have to carry out the law, the facts arc that Parliament cannot legislate in advance of the morality of the people." Mr. Dickson sala that as long as people desired to bet there would be found others to take their betting. Allan was fined £75. Mrs. Curtis was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence If called upon within la months. The magistrate told her that If she kept away from betting nothing more would bo heard of the matter. "Fair and Honest" Stanley Thompson (40; admitted that he used premises which he occupied as a common gaming house. Senior Detective Walsh said Thompson was in a substantial way of business and he admitted to the police that he had been carrying on as a bookmaker for a considerable period. Mr. Schramm said Thompson's last conviction was six years ago. Ho had given the police no trouble and had always carried on his business in a fair and honest way. A fine of £75 was imposed.