POLICE COURT

Evening Star, Issue 19697, 26 October 1927, Page 6

POLICE COURT

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 20. (Before Mr J. 11. Bartholomew. S.M.) BOOKMAKER FINED. John Milne pleaded guilty fo the charge of having carried on the business of a bookmaker. Mr A. G. Neill appeared for him. ; Chief Detective Cameron said that on Bailor Day ho and Detective Lean visited the Waterloo Hotel, and found defendant carrying on his business. He was not a big bettor, and had informed witness that the most bo would take ou any one day would be £lO, but the average would be about £2O. While the detectives were in the hotel a client rang up ou the telephone defendant was using for his business, and wanted to malic a bet for £4 on the trots. Detective Lean took the message. Defendant bad been before the court in April, 1925, and lino £lO for a similar offence. He was a married man. Mr Neill pointed out that Labor Day was a very big day in the racing world, and betting activities would be on a large scale. Quito big operations were carried ou. Yet defendant's betting slips showed only eight bets, amounting in all to £4 or £5, while a big betting operator would probably put through 0400 on a day like that. Defendant was a cripple, and had undergone treatment in the hospital for three or four years. He was unable to follow any ordinary avocation, and had been in receipt of a military pension. Alter being fined on the previous occasion he had given up bookmaking, but being unable to do anything else lie had naturally drifted back. Counsel asked the bench to take into account the fact that the Pensions Department had deducted IDs a, week from defendant’s pension over a fairly long period, and would probably do so again. Defendant said, in answer to the magistrate, that his pension was 3Us a week. The Chief Detective said that, apart from the bookmaking there was nothing against defendant. Ho pointed out, however, that the slips found on the latter were for the later races only. Tim Magistrate said that this was a rather awkward case to deal with. Ho did not, in view of the man’s physical condition, want to in flirt a drastic penalty. Defendant would be fined £3U, with court costs (Bis). A week was allowed in which to pay the tine. ]INCORRIGIBLE GIRLS. Two young girls pleaded guilty to being deemed idle and disorderly person': in that the had no visible lawful means of support. Chief Detective Cameron said that the girls wore inmates of the Caversliam Industrial School, and absconded from there on October 1. They wended their way to the back of the hills at llaveiisbonrne. On the following day limy moved on to Sawyers Bay, where they formed the acquaintance of some youths. 'They were taken to a crib <m Mount Cargill, and stayed there for the week-end. Accompanying some youths to Wnitati, they stayed in a crib there. Hero they wore arrested. 'The institution authorities reported that the girls were absolutely incorrigible, and had absconded on several occasions. The Magistrate ordered the girls to bo detained at the Borstal Institute fur a period nob exceeding three years. Fie also ordered the suppression of their names. REMANDED. An elderly man, whoso name was ordered to be suppressed, appealed to answer a charge of indecent asault. Chief Detective Cameron said that the accused was arrested last night. Ho asked for a remand, as there was at least one other charge to be preferred against accused. The case, was a .shocking one, as.the accused was the .step-father of the girls concerned. The Chief Detective opposed bail. The accused was remanded until Wednesday next. MAINTENANCE CHARGE. Valentine Phelan (Mr J. C. White) was charged with failing to provide adequate maintenance for his wife, on a warrant issued at Hamilton. {senior Sergeant Quartermain suggested that the defendant should be remanded to Hamilton. Mr White said that his client had resided in Dunedin all his life. His wife left him four years ago, but bo had always been available for inquiries. The case was adjourned for one week to enable inquiries to be made, defendant being ordered to find security in the sum of £25. DRUNKENNESS. ' ltd ward Martin was fined 20s, in default forty-eight hours’ imprisonment, ou a charge of drunkenness. Christian Long, a statutory first offender, was fined 10s, in default twentyfour hours’ imprisonment, also on a charge of drunkenness. SERIOUS CHARGES. Two charges of indecent assault on children were preferred against Walter Miller, an elderly man. The Magistrate ordered the court to be cleared. The offence is alleged, to have been committed in a theatre. Evidence was given by the little girls concerned, each nine years of age, and by others. The accused was represented by Mr W. Ward, and Chief-detective Cameron conducted the case for the police. The accused, who pleaded not guilty, reserved his defence, and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial, bail being allowed on his own recognisance of £IOO and one surety of £IOO. Mr Ward: Would your Worship grant the suppression of the accused’s name? His Worshin; Nxu 1 will not.