£12,310 FROM FINES

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21605, 6 January 1945, Page 2

£12,310 FROM FINES

GAMING ACT BREACHES "BOOKIES" PAY £11,780 iP.A.) WELLINGTON. Jon. C. Fines totalling £12.310 were imposed during 1944 for breaches of the Gaming Act, of which £11.780 represented 'penalties for bookmaking. Police activity in the matter was well distributed, hardly any town of a size at least large enough to warrant the maintenance of a bookmaker or agent going unattended to. In all, 243 persons were convicted and fined for bookmaking, conducting, using or assisting in the managing of common gaming houses. In addition, two were admitted to probation, two gaoled, two acquitted, one placed on a surety of good behaviour, one convicted to be called up for sentence, and one convicted‘for exhibiting doubles charts. Six persons were fined for betting with bookmakers. For being found in common gaming houses, 169 persons were fined amounts ranging from £1 to

The total number of gaming prosecutions in 1944 was approximately 412.

For two months of 1944, October and November, when big meetings' were held at Trcritham and Riccarton, the fines exceeded £2OOO. In January. August, September and December, the monthly “revenue” was more than £IOOO. One operator was fined £250, one (‘2OO, two £l5O, 30 £IOO, one £BO. K £75. one £7O, 10 £6O. and 62, £SO. Wellington headed the list of major gaining prosecutions with 61, Auckland being next with 53. Others were: Christchurch, 34: Wanganui 12: Palmerston North, Whangarei and Pneroa, each seven; Patea and Dunedin. each six; Dannevirke and Napier, each five: New Plymouth, Gore, and Ctaluihu, each four. There were six towns with three prosecutions; seven with two. and 13 with one for those merely "found on common gaming houses.” Auckland headed the list with 121, Wellington being next with 36. : '