"GAMBLER BY NATURE"

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19612, 7 May 1929, Page 6

"GAMBLER BY NATURE"

AUCKLAND BOOKMAKER FINED £lO. [THE PRESS Special Service.] AUCKLAND, May 6. George Wilson, aged 42, a waterside worker, who was arrested by DetectiveSergeant McHiigh on Saturday, appeared at the Magistrate's Court to-day charged with carrying on the business of a bookmaker. Chief-Detective Hammond said Wilson operated down at the wharves. He was a silver bettor and had laid "doubles" on the Cambridge trots on Saturday at £4 to Is. Wilson also did a lot of straight-out betting. He had never been in trouble before. "Will you give this illegal business up if I make it a light fine?" asked the Magistrate (Mr Hunt). Wilson replied that he was afraid Ke could not give such an undertaking, "I'm a gambler by nature, and if a man gave me 5s on a horse I'd have to take it," he said. The Magistrate fined Wilson £lO or one month's imprisonment, and allowed him seven days in which to pay.

FIRST OFFENDER FINED £25.

tTHE PRESS Special Service.] DUNEDIN, May 6. In the Magistrate's Court this morning Harry Eobinson pleaded guilty to using premises at St. Kilda as a common gaming house. ' The Magistrate (Mr H. W. Bundle) said that on the evidence there was nothing to show that defendant was betting in a big way. Indeed, if he had been doing so for any length of time he naturally would have come in conflict with the police before this. Moreover, he was a first offender, and he thought that he was justified in inflicting what in the circumstances was a small fine. The defendant would be fined £25 and costs, £l6 seized by the police to go towards payment of the fine.