GAMING CASES.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11749, 25 November 1903, Page 7

GAMING CASES.

(SrBCTAt. TO "THE P-lESS,")

DUNEDIN, November 24. , Great interest was taken in tiie gaming cases heard at the Supreme Court to«day. The fiwt oa*a wa* that ogams* Peter Granity who wa* charged with being th* occupier of an office used for the purpose of betting with person* rewnting thereto. Mr Sim and Mr Hanlon appeared for the defence, Both side* exercised their right of diallenging jurymen to the fullest extent. .

Tho Crown Prosecutor opened the case at length, and in doing so said he did not want in any way to comuEcate th* case. With referenoe to till* his view was that one* tho totalisator w*£ introduced into a country, it waa impossible to eradicate jt. H they did w they would possibly replace it with a wore* system. The evil of a betting house was apparent. He did not propose to ester upon a. dissertation on the othjc* of betting, but there wa* ithls point about totaiisator—lt was •imply run upon the raoe-course where races were being run, whereas by means of a •betting Jwuse' wagering was done on every race throughout the cojony, and this brought races throughout the colony • to every aijan'* door That was the objection to keeping an establishment suob as that which recused waa alleged to have kept. He would prove beyond all question cf doubt the facts necessary to convict accosed. He did not suggest that it was a very heinous offence, but still it was a bold and impudent breach of the statute law of the colony, and if offenders such as accused were to be allowed to opetily override the law and go unpunithed, then it was a most disparaging precedent and on extremely dangerous one for the whole community. Barclay and McMillan, labourers, gave evidence as to making wagers with Grant wfth money they receiveei from the police for the purpose. Coume! for the defence commentid strongly on tho evidence of informers, and pointed out that Barclay had previously been connected with a sly grog ca*», which was dismissed by the Magistrate because he would not believe ni* evidence, and that McMillan's proper name wo* Millan, the changing of which was characteri«d fi* a suspicious circuuartauee. Counsel told ths jury that there was nothing to prevent accused from keeping » gaming shop es long m he. did not use it for "the purpose of batting wfth persons resorting thereto. Tlie jury,, after half an hour's retirement, returned a verdict of not gulHy. The result of this cs&e practically decide* the fate of the others, as that against Grant was ihe strongest. ' (FBKSS ASSOCUTiOr* TSWO-AW.) DUNEDIK, November 24, In the cases against Peter Grant awd B. Curtis, charged with being th* keepers of common gaming houses, in «ach the Jury returned a vsrdk* ol art gufity. ,