PARLIAMENT AND ITS LAWS

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 110, 10 May 1923, Page 4

PARLIAMENT AND ITS LAWS

JUDGE'S REMARKS IN BETTING CASE. (ET TiXBGRAPH.—PRESS ASEOCMTIOH.) AUCKLAND, 9th May. • To-day, in the Supreme Court, Frederick Howard, a waterside worker, was charged with having published and publicly exhibited a double chart, and with having carried on the business of a bookmaker. Detective • Meiklejohn gave evidence to the tffect that on a ferry boat conveying watersiders to a picnic he heard accused accept a double. Witness looked at hia card, which showed that twenty-two doubles, representing 555, had been. laid.. Witness knew from tho office records that accused had been fined for bookmaking. - His Honour, in summing up, said that there might be differences of opinion as to the \yisdom of certain legislation, but the Court had nothing to do with that. If Parliament passed a law -, it was his duty to administer it. The duty of the jury was equally clear. It was their duty to return a verdict according to their oaths, otherwise tho administration of justice in New Zealand would be reduced to a. '-'scandal. It was impossible to come to- ariy other conclusion than that accused'-i.vras guilty of bookmaking if the evidence was to b6 believed. The jury' 'returned a verdict of 'not guilty, and accused was discharged.