BOOKMAKING CHARGE

Greymouth Evening Star, 5 December 1946, Page 9

BOOKMAKING CHARGE

WELLINGTON MAN PLEADS NOT GUILTY COMMITTEDFOR TRIAL (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Dec. 4. Charged with bookmaking, James Ralston, aged 49, a pensioner, pleaded not guilty before Mr. J. L. Stout, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court today, and was committed to the Supreme Court for trial by a jury. Detective-Sergeant E. G. Callaghan, the only witness for the prosecution, gave evidence of a visit to a house in Mulgrave street, where he and Senior-Detective E. H. Compton found a telephone, day cards, and* a sheet of paper with pencilled entries. The accused had signed a statement in which he said he had been acting as agent for a bookmaker for six months, getting 18d in the £1 commission. Sergeant Callaghan also read to the court a telephone message which the police received before visiting Ralston. This said: “That was a rotten thing that Callaghan did to Percy White last Saturday. Vvhat about some of the others? What about Ralston, at 47 Mulgrave street? He is taking bets all through tlie day. In further evidence, the witness said he asked the accused H he was prepared to name his principal. The accused said that would not be. fan, and Sergeant Callaghan told him he was not bound to do so The accused then said: “It does not mattei. It was a man fined £250 last Monday I Sergeant Callaghan replied: J hue |was only one man fined £250 lasi Munday, and that was Peicy W , r headed. 'the accused said he would like to make an explanation ot wMt happened m the house on Novembei 8. Ti e Magistrate: You are gomg to the supreme Court. An explanation lies “ale been told.” said “ide"*® pleaded not guilty and was committed lor trial;