BETTING IN BARS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21579, 5 December 1944, Page 4

BETTING IN BARS

MAGISTRATE’S WARNING QUESTION OF GAOL “In view of the prevalence of this class of offence, and the number of complaints being received by the Licensing Committee, the courts will have 1o consider imposing imprisonment for a first offence,” said Mr. J. I-l. Luxford, S.M., in Auckland when fining Noel D. McGonagle, storeman, on a charge of bookmaking in a hotel bar. He pleaded guilty. Senior-Sergeant Sparks said defendant was seen in the private bar of a hotel with a statement of betting accounts. They showed that he had taken 107 bets totalling £43 on races the previous week, and lie was then I engaged in mving out. He said lie was ‘working for another man on a commission basis of 2s in the pound. Ho had been operating only a few weeks while away from work on compensation. Bookmaking in hotel bars was a public nuisance, said the magistrate. Hotel proprietors had enough troubles without having to worry over this type of offender. It was clear that defendant was in business only in a small way, and as he was a first offondoi* ho would bo fined Immediate payment was ordered, in default four weeks' imprisonment with hard labour.