Police Eager To Have Racing Paper Suppressed

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30453, 29 May 1964, Page 3

Police Eager To Have Racing Paper Suppressed

(New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, May 28. Police concern about the continued publication of a racing paper called “Turf Talk” was expressed as the hearing of a case before Mr L. G. H. Sinclair, SAI., in the Magistrate’s Court at Auckland drew to a close today. The editor of the publication, Frederic Eustace Hawken, aged 54, appeared on a series of charges under the Gaming Act.

When the Magistrate indicated his intention of reserving his decision, DetectiveSergeant B. T. N. Hutton expressed police concern at continued publication of the paper.

The Magistrate said he would bring down his decision as soon as possible. Earlier, a constable, Edward Puttick, told the Court Hawken had said he would welcome a police inquiry into “Turf Talk” because he had been advised it was legal. Senior-Sergeant Hutton said the evidence showed that Hawken published the eightpage “Turf Talk,”’ which sold for 2s 6d, solely for the purpose of an illegal competition. Hawken, represented by Mr L. W. Brown, appeared on one charge that he used his flat for the purpose of receiving money in respect of an undertaking to pay money, or a valuable thing, on a contingency relating to horse racing; two charges of using premises for the same purpose; eight charges of causing the publication of “Turf Talk,” which invited people to make bets on the results of races at meetings in the Auckland area; and one charge of causing the publication of placards inviting people to

make bets on a contingency relating to horse races. He denied all the charges. Detective-Sergeant Hutton said “Turf Talk” carried details of only one race meeting in the Auckland area. Eight issues had so far been published. It sold for 2s 6d and vendors received a commission of 6d a copy. On the rear cover was a partly-perforated section containing a competition. It invited people to select horses for the race meeting. This section could be torn off and posted and it was classified as a business reply-paid card. The coupons containing the selections were uplifted by Hawkins at the Auckland Post Office at 11 a.m.

Detective-Sergeant Hutton said “Turf Talk” stated it would pay a retainer of £5OO to the competition winner to make the selections for the publication the next week. Detective-Sergeant Hutton said the police alleged the transactions were bets within the : leaning of the act. The invitation was clearly one to gamble. The 2s 6d charge was clearly above the value of the publication and part of the price constituted an entry fee. Supplying “fancies,” said Senior-Sergeant Hutton, was nothing more than a formality before receiving the cheque.