TWO MEN FINED £250

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 38, 8 November 1933, Page 10

TWO MEN FINED £250

Charges of Bookmaking RAIDS ON TWO PREMISES Yesterday afternoon search warrants, issued under the Gaming Act, were executed on the premises of two persons suspected of carrying on bookmaking.' The places concerned were the residence of William Charles Burge, at 59 Pirie Street, which was visited by Detective-Sergeant Hall and two other detectives, and an office in the Bank of New South Wales Chambers occupied by Arthur Law. Tlie .search there was conducted by Detective-Sergeant Revell with Detectives Burke and Long. In both places betting paraphernalia was seized by the police. The result of the raid was the appearance of Burge and Law in the Police Court later charged before Mr. E. Page, S.M., with carrying on the business of bookmakers. Both pleaded guilty, and were fined £250 each. Detective-Sergeant Revell, who conducted the prosecution, explained ■ that r both accused had been in business as bookmakers for a number of years and were considered two of the most prominent in Wellington. Apart from that they were regarded as “quite decent citizens.” Law stated that at one time he was in a fair way of-business, but owing to the general depression it had fallen off considerably. A similar account was given by Burge. The magistrate pointed out that thisoffence carried with it a penalty of £5OO or two years’ imprisonment. Burge, he said, had been before the court iu 1924, when he was fined £BO for keeping a common gaming house, and Law had been fined £75 ju 1929 on the same charge. Both men were allowed fourteen days to pay the fine.