GAMING-HOUSE KEPT

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 148, 20 March 1934, Page 11

GAMING-HOUSE KEPT

Three Wanganui Men Fined SEQUEL TO POLICE SEARCH Dominion Special Service. Wanganui, March 19. At the Magistrate's Court this morning, Bernard Francis Corrigan pleaded guilty to a charge of keeping a common gaming house and was fined £lOO by Mr. J. H. Salmon, S.M. Vincent Hickey and Thomas Arnold Bowen, who pleaded guilty to assisting Corrigan, were fined £3O and £2O respectively. Corrigan’s premises, a tobacconist’s shop.in Guyton Street, were searched on Saturday. Detective J. Walsh, who appeared for the police, stated that accused aud two others were found there conducting a gaining business. A sum of £3B, gaming money, was found in possession of Corrigan, and a number of books were discovered showing that gaming was being carried on. Corrigan had had two previous convictions. With regard to Hickey, the detective said he was employed by Corrigan. He had been convicted in January of this year on a charge of keeping a gaming house and had been fined £25. This was Bowen’s first appearance in court. He had been a hotel-keeper and bad come to Wanganui some months ago, and had found employment with Corrigan. Mr. F. K. Turnbull appeared for the three accused. Corrigan, he said, was interested in many matters in which finance was involved, none of which were making good returns for the money invested. At Christmas time he had been the victim of a hold-up and had lost £BO. . He had several guarantees hanging over his head and a heavy fine would be a great hardship. Mr. Turnbull said that it was common knowledge that it was hard to secure business in a common gaming house, as there was not the money about. Nobody was risking money. That was shown by the totalisator returns. Any money Corrigan had received had been in small amounts— just casual bets. Mr. Turnbull asked that that aspect be given c * Mr. Salmon: I cannot take that into account. There have been a number of cases of this sort in other parts of this district ami in Taranaki. Magistrates must act consistently. It is accused’s third offence. Corrigan was allowed a fortnight m which to find the fine and Hickey and Bowen were each granted six weeks.