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Evening Star, Issue 23991, 16 September 1941, Page 8

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FRUIT MACHINE ODDS “ RATTED " BY TWO YOUTHS (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Sept. 16. An attack on the type of fruit machine declared illegal some years ago was made by counsel in the Supreme Court appearing for youths of 17 and 20, who had pleaded guilty at Upper Hutt to breaking and entering and theft and breaking and entering with intent to steal. Counsel said the investment was 3d, and it was only rarely that a dividend was collected. The attraction it had on a gullible public was shown by the fact that there was £l3 in 3d pieces inside it, quite a bit of which had been contributed by the prisoners. They knew the secret place where the proprietor kept the machine, and to get their own back they broke into the shop. Putting it colloquially, they “ ratted ” the mnehnie, said counsel. He had worked out the odds, and they wore 728 to 1 against winning. In admitting each prisoner to probation for three years, Sir Michael Myers ordered the payment of one guinea costs and the restitution of £3 Is 8d in one case and £6 in the other. The names were suppressed.