THE GREAT RAID.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1411, 11 April 1912, Page 5

THE GREAT RAID.

« UNDER GAMING ACT. COURT PACKED WITH PEOPLEALL CASES REMANDED. SCENES IN THE RAIDED ROOMS (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Auckland, April 10. II was quite obvious when Ihe lime for the sitting of t!in Police Court drew near Ihis morning Hint something unusual was happening. A huge number of persons, mostly young men, a-embled in the precincts of Iho building and inside. Ihe (.ourthoiifC, and, at half-paM ten, Ihe spaeo reserved for tho public was a solid wedge of humanity. The enuse of this departure from Hie normal stale of affairs was of course the fact that a large crowd of persons who were the victims of yesterday's police raid on alleged gambling shops were to bo haled befaro the magistrate to explain the why and (ho wherefore of their presence on the premises. It had been hoped by tho expectant onlookers that the cases would bo heard in the morning, but this was not to be. Tho usual business was exceptionally heavy, and occupied all the forenoon and part of tho afternoon, with the result that those who had looked' forward to hearing tho gambling charges went away at the luncheon adjournment. They, however, assembled in strong force again in the afternoon, when Iho cases wore proceeded with. Mr.l-'. V. Frazer, S.M., was on. the Bench. When the first of the cases was called, Sub-Inspector Hendry intimated that lie would apply for all Iho charges to bo adjourned until April 18. The magistrate granted the application, and bail was lixed, in the case of the principals, in sums of .MOO and sureties of JilOO each. In the. case of those who had merely visited tho premises, it was again fixed at J.'lo. Police Not Finished Yet. The police have, not confined their efforts solely to raiding tho alleged gaming houses. For some weeks past it is understood that, they have been engaged in seeking evidence with the object of proceeding against alleged bookmakers in the city. Tha great difficulty in putting a stop to illegal betting has been the matter of obtaining sufficient evidence to secure conviction?. It is now asserted that the police have dragged nearly all, if not all, of the alleged bookmakers operating in the city into their net, and have gathered sufficient evidence to warrant them in taking proceedings against a number. These will be proceeded against by summons:, and in due course they will appear before the magistrate.'

IN THE RAIDED ROOMS, THE EXCUSES AND INCIDENTS. (By Telegraph-Special Correspondent.) Auckland, April 10. Further rather amusing incidents in connection with the police raid on alleged gaming houses yesterday have come iO light. vVs the unwary visitors to (ho raided premises arrived and found themselves entrapped, they made all kinds of excuses, one of the most popular lieiiiL' (he statement that an error had been made in mistaking the alleged betting shop for the rooms of a solicitor who does business in the same building. "I Came in Just Because—" The first man refused to make a state;, ment of anv kind, while several dec ami that ihev were "just walking through the building"when.the,constable,at tho door dragged them'in:''' Others stated that thev were calling upon a solicitor, but had knocked at the wrong door. 1 don't know," said one, "how I got here, but I think I was looking through the door when the constable grabbed me, and I came in." "I came here to leave a imessige." "I saw Tooincy coming in, and so I followed him." "I was going home to lunch." "I know nothing except, that the constable pulled me in, and said- 'You're fixed.'" ".lust came up for a drink at the water-tap." These and other answers were given to the sergeant in reply to his question. "This is Horrible." One man's excuse was that he came in to find out what won at Fcildmg. Towards the end of the police investigation, tho atmosphere became very close, and one of the "innocents" caused a laugh when ho exclaimed: "This is horrible; I'm going to get out." This was easier said than done. . The first to arrive at Twohill s in Coombes's Arcade was a young man who explained that he had called for a, jug. He was followed by an individual of cherubic countenance, who walked cheerfully into the trap on the constable s invitation "to come right in." A Plaintive Chinese. A sad-faced Chinaman, with a. large number of useless totalisator ticket--, tellin" a story of ill-luck at the previous day's races', was tho next arrival. Ho remarked plaintively that he had to catch a four o'clock boat for Taurauga, but brightened up, however, when his turn came to be searched, even permitting himself to smile drowsily when tho sergeant stared blankly at a number of papers covered with Chinese -characters. A Warlike Maori. Two elderly men, who treated the proceedings philosophically, followed, and then came a Maori, who was inclined to be violent, and threatened to make startling disclosures about the police if he were not immediately released. Sergeant Bird appeared to have no fear for the reputation of the force, however, and sent him ,out occasionally (under custody) to clear the atmosphere. The Man Who Wished the Warrant Read. Tho party was just ready to join the motor-cars for the police station when a knock sounded on the door, accompanied by the question, in a big voic?: "Are you there, Dan:"

The door was opened to admit a man formerly very well known as a. bookmaker. Up treated file .affair as an outrage, and delayed proceedings by insisting on the long warrant being read. His protests availed him nothing, however, and he accompanied the party in the motor-car.