POST OFFICE & BOOKMAKERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 7 November 1944, Page 2

POST OFFICE & BOOKMAKERS

DEPARTMENT’S POSITION.

, CHRISTCHURCH, November 6. 1 “The suggestion that the Post Office must have known that the. accused person was carrying on a bookmaking business simply because the Post Office handles the postal, telephonic and telegraphic traffic is indeed difficult to comprehend. Many people receive large quantities of mail matter through the Post Office and this applies particularly to private box holders. Again, many people make use of the telephone and telegraph ; facilities provided by the Post Ofj flee. The only means therefore that the Post Office would have of ascer- ■ laming if such mail matter, telephone ! conversations, or telegrams did or did I not relate to gambling, would be for I a strict censorship to be instituted ion all correspondence addressed to ; all persons, for telephone conversai lions from all subscribers to be lisi tened in to, and for similar action to 1 be taken in regard to telegrams. The Post Office does not undertake such censorship.” This statement has been issued by the Chief Post Office, Christchurch, in reply to comments made by Mr. Justice Northcroft when sentencing a prisoner for bookmaking in the Suprme Court to-day. “The records of the Post and Telegraph Department show conclusively and these were produced as evidence to the Court, that neither the I telephones, the private boxes, nor the I code address were in the name of Al--1 bertson. It would be an almost im- : possible task for the Post Office, ' handling the volume and quantity of I mail matter which it does, to be calli ed on to carry out an examination to 1 determine whether or not any per- ! son’s correspondence or all telephone conversations, or all telegraph messages are free from offence against the gaming or other acts. It is not, therefore, reasonable to presume that the Post Office actively assisted Albertson to break the law, particularly when it is taken into consideration that in the case under review there was not any indication whatsoever until the police proceedings took place that the facilities of the department were being used illegally by Albertson,” the statement continues. “Telephone Regulation 73 gives the Minister of Telegraphs power to disconnect any - telephone which, in the opinion of the Minister, is used for any illegal purpose. The Minister may also deprive of telephone service any subscriber who allows his telephone to be put to any • improper use. As far as telephone service for bookmakers is concerned, the Minister is not in a position to determine whether a subscriber is engaged in bookmaking activities until a conviction is secured as a result ,of police action. Once a conviction has been secured, immediate steps are taken to withdraw the telephone installed in the premises used for bookmaking purposes irrespective of whether the instruments are leased in the name of the convicted person or in some other person’s name. In regard to the two telephones used by Albertson, -the Post Office boxes and the telegraph code address: these were not leased or taken in the names of Albertson, but by persons other than the convicted one.” FINE IMPOSED. CHRISTCHURCH, November 6. Leslie James Coxon, who had pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court lo a charge of betting with a bookmaker, was fined £lO. His Honor, in imposing the penalty, said Coxon had put the country to expense and had elected to come before the Supreme Court in the hope that Albertson would be acquitted, in which case there could be no charge against him.