GAMING-HOUSE RAIDS

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 210, 3 June 1935, Page 3

GAMING-HOUSE RAIDS

Pakapoo Equipment Seized SEVERAL PERSONS FINEE Seven Chinese and two Europeans appeared in the Wellington Magistrate’s Court on Saturday as a result of a raid on four houses in Haining Street on Friday evening. Charges. ol using premises as a common gaining house were laid against Fee Young aged 34; Joe Wong, storekeeper, aged 51; Low Tow. gardener, aged 61 and Willie Wong, fruiterer, aged 36. Young and Willie Wong were each lined £25. in default two months' imprisonment, and Joe Wong and Tow were each fined £lO, in default one month’s imprisonment. by Mr. E. D. Mosley, S.M.

Pleading guilty to charges of being found in a common gaming house, Ngan Lee. aged 44; Young Gee. aged 35; Joe Kwon, aged 32; Clarence Melbourne Wilson, glazier, aged 42; and Frank Slemitz, labourer, aged 63, were each fined 10/- and costs. The Chiilese were represented by Mr. C. N. Armstrong.-

Sub-Inspector C. E. Roach said four premises were raided on Friday evening, and quantities of pakapoo paraphernalia were seized. Young had two previous convictions, Willie Wong had six previous convictions, and Joe Wong and Tow had not been before the court previously. Mr. Armstrong submitted that pakapoo was not a serious charge because of the small outlay which each customer put in the pool. The offence was not as serious as bookmaking or conducting Calcutta sweeps. The totalisator had been legalised, and that was a more serious menace to the community. Although the Chinese knew pakapoo was a technical offence, by their standard of ethics it was not a moral offence. The Chinese had been hard hit by the depression, and they had had to resort to pakapoo as a means of livelihood.

“The law provides a severe penalty for such an offence,” said the magistrate. “I have heard many addresses on tile same thing, and all follow along the same lines. Counsel are limited in their arguments.” Said He Was Going Mad Walking into a police station on Friday night, August Henry Metz, aged 69, asked to be sent, to the I’orirua Asylum, saying (hut he was going mad. On Saturday lie was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment. with hard labour by Mr. Mosley on a charge ol

being idle and disorderly in that he had insufficient lawful means of support. Sub-Inspector Roach said that defendant, since he had been released from prison, had been hanging about tlie streets. He had no one to care for him, and he would not stay at any home. In reply to a question, defendant said the homes did not suit him. “You compel me to send you to a place which will not suit you as well," said the magistrate. “We cannot have you wandering about the streets.” Remands Granted Four remands were granted on the application of Detective-Sergeant L. Revell. On a charge of breaking and entering on or about May 29 the premises cf New Zealand Fisheries Ltd. and stealing tobacco, cigarettes, brandy, beer, an attache case and about £2 19/- in cash, William Alexander Millar, hawker, aged 27, and Samuel Jamieson McKee, labourer, aged 24, were remanded to appear on June 7. Each was allowed bail in the sum of £lOO and a surety of £l.OO, and on the condition that they reported to the police daily.

Alexander Wallace Copley, labourer, aged 28, who was charged with conspiring with others to defraud W. Johnstone of £4OO. was remanded to appear at Auckland on June 6.

Hugh Anthony Parker, labourer, aged 28, was remanded to appear on June 7 to answer a charge of stealing £4O from Ellen Langsford at. Hastings. Detective-Sergeant Revell said other charges would be placed against him. A remand to June 5 was granted Gilbert. Henry Dyster, carpenter, aged 47, who was charged with attempting to obtain from D. Robertson 10/- by false if pretence.