Bookmaker Fined £300

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30759, 25 May 1965, Page 3

Bookmaker Fined £300

(N Z. Press Association) I WELLINGTON, May 24. Ronald Leslie Smith, aged 31, was fined £3OO today when he pleaded guiltv before Mr J. A. Wicks, S.M., to carrying on the business of a bookmaker. Sergeant P. H. O’Donnell said that when the police I visited Smith’s home last Saturday, Smith readily admitted bookmaking, and said he had been taking bets for about two months. Records of bets totalling £2OOO for that day were found. At that time there were still two races to be run at four meetings. Smith admitted being a principal bookmaker. He told the police he had 49 regular agents and other sub-agents

[in a district which extended. Ito the Wairarapa. “Smith is apparently the biggest bookmaker detected in the Wellington area in recent years,” said Sergeant O’Donnell. Smith received bets by telephone. The telephone had rung seven times during the police raid. On three occasions a policeman had taken a bet from the caller. Mr G. A. Tannahill, for Smith, said the evidence showed that £2OOO had been taken by Smith up till 3 pun. on that day. This indicated the demand for the services of bookmakers in New Zealand. “Such a demand can not be met by the Government T.A.8.,” he said. The Magistrate: I suggest you take this matter up with, the appropriate Government | authorities then.

The huge demand had tempted Smith to become a i bookmaker, said Mr Tannahill.

Smith was an Australian, and had been in New Zealand three years. In Australia bookmaking was accepted as part of the community. The Magistrate said it had been said many times from the Bench that people who {indulged in bookmaking knew the odds. They were gambling against the odds of being discovered. “Whatever excuses offered for bookmaking before the institution of the T.A.B. are no longer valid, with the existence of the T.A.8.,” said the Magistrate. “Anyone who carries on the business of a bookmaker is a parasite on the community.” A fine of £250, which was imposed for the first offence of bookmaking, could very [Well be too cheap, he told [Smith. He had considered sending him to prison, but would fine him £3OO instead. The Magistrate made an order that Smith’s telephone 1 be disconnected for two years.