"GAMING HOUSES"

Evening Post, Volume CIV, Issue 73, 23 September 1922, Page 8

"GAMING HOUSES"

SEQUEL TO POLICE RAID

SUBSTANTIAL PENALTIES

INFLICTED.

Gdngidei'attfe interest was shown at the Petone Magistrate's GSurt this morning when a numbei' of Petone and Lowet Hafcfc residents were charged with keeping a common gaming house. The prosecutions were the sequel to recent pslice raids* The accused wero :■— George Phillips and James Fftuchelle, who each keep a tobacconists and hairdresser's shop at Lower Hutfc; Fritz Hugo Franz Dolling, recently a steward of the Petone Working Men s Club, but now the owner of a tobacconist and hairdresser's shop at Petono; Eobert Henry Jonos, who recently relinquished his position in the Petone Railway Workshops; James Riddett, barman at tho Central Hotel, Petone. The cases were heard before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M,, and- tho prosecutor was SeniorSergeant Bird, of Petone. Mr. E. P. Bunny appeared for Phillips, and Mr. Q'Leary for the other accused. Phillips, Fauchelle, Riddett, and Jones each pleaded guilty. The first two were each fined £75 and 10s costs, and the two latter each £50 and 10s costs. A case against Werata Jones, charged with being found on the premises of one of tho Lower Hutt accused at the time the premises were raided, was dismissed, the Bench holding that there was no evidence of his being there for unlawful purposes. Fritz Hugo Frans Dolling pleaded not guilty. Constable Canning said that he was formerly a police officer at Petone, but had resigned and was reappointed on 10th August. On 7th September, at 7.30 a.m., he had visited Dolfing's shop in Jackson street, Petone. Dolling was present, and, on being requested, had given witness a day card for the Manawatu races. On 9th September, at 7.30 a.m., he again visited accused's shop, and asked for 5s on Omahu in the Marton Handicap. .He paid over the ss, which was accepted. Dolling had said : "If you want a bet you will always find me about." At 2.5 p.m. on 14th September he visited the and asked for 10s on Trespass in the Spring Handicap at Wanganui. Accused took the 10s, which was in the form of a note. On that day accused's pre-1 mises were raided. Cross-examined, witness said the number of the 10s note had been taken beforehand, but not by witness. Acting-Detective Hunt, Copstuble Morrison, and Senior-Sergeant Bird gave evidence of the arrest of accused. No incriminating papers were found either, on accused or his premises. A special sound-proof telephone box had, since accused took the premises over,'been erected! but no telephone had yet been fixed. Mr. O'Leary, addressing the Bench, said that two swallows did not make a summer, and two bets being made on premises did not constitute it a common gaming house. He quoted authorities to show that other evidence, especially of the accessories of betting, must be found. Habitual use of the premises as a common gaming house must be proved. Senior-Sergeant Bird also quoted authorities to show that evidence of two bets being made was sufficient to cause accused to be convicted, and stressed the evidence of the sound-proof box. : Decision was reserved. ' Ernst Henry Gardiner, for whom Mr. O'Leary also appeared, was charged with frequenting Jackson street for the purpose of betting. Constables Harrison, Lumber. Morrison, and Scarry gave evidence that accused had done no work for the past eighteen months, and Constable Harrison stated that when arrested accused was in possession of a day card and a double card, on which, two bets had been entered. Mr. O'Leary contended that there was no case to answer, as betting on the day stated in the information had not been . proved. The Magistrate held that there was a prima facie case for accused to answer. No evidence was called for the defence, and decision was reserved.