ILLEGAL LOTTERY

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 169, 13 April 1935, Page 7

ILLEGAL LOTTERY

Young Woman TicketSeller Fined “UNDOUBTEDLY A FRAUD” By Telegraph.—Press Association. Auckland, April 12. For selling tickets in an illegal lottery, which the police described as “undoubtedly a fraud,” a young woman, Adu Ball, was fined £2 and costs by Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court on the charge of selling tickets at Napier on February 8 in u lottery which was prohibited by the Gaming Act. Mr. Noble appeared for defendant, who pleaded guilty. .Senior-Detective Hall said that on January 16 last Miss Ball answered an advertisement in an Auckland paper, and, as a result, she was engaged as a sales organiser by a man who engaged her under the name of “J. S. Burke.” Burke made arrangements for the printing and numbering of tickets in an illegal lottery, and on January 31 Miss Ball left Auckland in a motorcar with four others and commenced a tour of the North Island, idling tickets at Thames, Tauranga, Te Puke, Opotiki and Napier. At Napier the party’ came under the notice of the police, who obtained over 400 books, each containing 40 tickets at 6d. each. Mr. Hall said 500 books of tickets were actually printed. The proceeds from the sales by the other four sellers were paid to Miss Ball and tbe total amount of the sales before they' were stopped by the police was about £26. “Defendant says this amount was expended in the payment of wages to herself and a commission of 331-3 per cent, to the ticket sellers,” said the senior detective. “The tickets purport to be in aid of a fund to help poor and needy children, which is a phrase used by the Community Sunshine League in Auckland. The lottery tickets show that the winner of the lottery will get a bungalow valued at £5OO, and that, as a result, £5OO would go toward funds for the maintenance of children’s health camps. As the Sunshine League in Auckland is 'lie only bona-fide organisation expending money in the maintenance of children’s ‘health camps, the Sunshine League has received numerous inquiries asking when its art union is being drawn. The police have received a complaint from the Sunshine League about ihis alleged fraud.” Mr. Noble produced a reply from “J. S. Burke” asking Miss Ball to call and see him about a position. She did so, and received full instructions. She assumed that everything was quite all right and took on the job of sales organiser. Miss Ball had to remit the money to Burke nt his private box and dill actually' remit £2/9/- to him. The rest of I lie proceeds went in expenses on the motor tour. Miss Ball received a salary of £3 a week and expenses. “It might bo a low-down fraud, but my client had nothing whatever to do with the introduction of this lottery.” said Mr. Noble. “She was trusting and confiding and this man Burke must have been a plausible person.” Mr. Hunt: She should have gone to the police or some other reliable place and found out about the lottery, and also whether it was honest, She will have lo bo more careful in future." "1 would like to have a word or two with this Mr. Burke." said Hie magistrate. "So would we all,” replied. Mr. Noble.