GIVE UP BETTING

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 140, 14 June 1924, Page 13

GIVE UP BETTING

CONTRAVENING THE GAMING LAWS

PARTNER-SKIPS ON THE "TOTE" ILLEGAL.

(EI TELEGRAPB.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.)

NAPIER, 13th June. An appeal case of some interest was heard at the Supreme Court before Mr Justice MacGregor. J. W. Barrie-ap-pealed against a decision the' Magistrate gave in favour of J. M. Brown in a claim to recover £33 13s 6d. Barrie "dye Brown £5 to put on Ore Ore in°the Grand National Hurdles. The horse'was placed second, paid £4 14s, and the respondent did not hand over the money. Subsequently the respondent agreed to put £10 of the Ore Ore dividend on NicoWr in the Hunt Cup at Waikato Meeting. Nicomar paid £10 odd, and-to effect a settlement the appellant agreed to accept the Ore Ore dividend° and £10 which the appellant put en Muraa'hi at Wellington for Brown, but Brawn did not pay' up. The defence held that the transaction was illegal under- ■ section 53 of the Gaming Act. Mr._ Mason, for the appellant, . said that if the Magistrate's ruling was upheld people who could not afford £1 could not legally bet, as they would 'be liable to a penalty if they made up a ticket with others.

His Honour: "That is so. A person who cannot afford to bet should not go to the races." His Honour upHekU-Ihe Magistrate, and said it was quite clear that the money claimed was won on the totalisator for the respondent "and should have been paid over, but the transaction was an illegal one. Under section 53 both parties contravened the statute and it may be the Act would cause inconvenience, but people :.so placed will have to give up betting.