FOUND TAKING BETS

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 130, 26 February 1937, Page 3

FOUND TAKING BETS

Man on Sustenance Fined

Found by Constable J. Dwyer taking hots in the Family Hotel, Melville Lancelot. Prier, a married man on sustenance, was fined £2O by Mr. H. P. Lawry, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court, Lower Hutt, yesterday, on a charge of carrying on business as a bookmaker. Sergeant. J. IV. McHolm said that about 4 p.m. on February 13, Constable Dwyer found Prier in the hotel ringing up someone about taking bets. He had bookmaking material in his possession, showing he had taken £9O/5/- in bets, and he also had £43/9/9 in cash. He was merely the agent for a bigger man. “This class of offence is encouraged by a large section of the community, and no penalty imposed by any court will put down bookmaking,” said Mr. C. R. Barrett, counsel for Prier. “If is generally recognised that bookmaking can never be stopped, and there is also a suggestion from racing owners that it is possible that.

the Government may alter the law in regard to bookmaking.” Defendant, said Mr. Barrett, ■ was purely a bookmaker's agent, ami made only 2/- in the pound, out of which he had to stand any bad debts. He made only £1 or 30/- a week. The £9O/5/- did not represent one day’s betting, aud tho £43/9/9 was to be banded to his employer. Defendant bad not been defrauding the sustenance authorities, as he had advised them of any extra money he had earned. Apart from this offence lie was a respectable member of the community.