BOOKMAKERS FINED.

Gisborne Times, Volume LII, Issue 5465, 28 April 1920, Page 7

BOOKMAKERS FINED.

THItEE SUBSTANTIAL

PENALTIES

UNDERTAKINGS TO GIVE UP THE BUSINESS.

The three men who were arrested ljv the police recently on betting charges came bclore Mr J. S. Ba-' ton, SAL, in the Magistrate's Com 1 vesterday.

Mr .J. S. AVauchop appeared .fa: all tho accused. Michael Deiuiohy was charged wun -Keeping a common gaining house, and laying totalisator odds. Mr Wane-hop pleaded guilty to the first c-uaigo, on behalf of accused. He said, that it was tho first time Dennehy had been before the Court on a charge of this nature. The premises consisted of only a small office in which there was a telephone, and tne premises were always well conducted and orderly’. Ihe office was used as a place for making bets on races in various parts of the Dominion. Formerly the Postal and Telegraph Department had given every assistance to bookmakers, but with the new regulations, if they were strictly carried out, it would bo impossible for bookmakers to carry on a lucrative business. He understood that Dennehy was only an assistant to someone else in running the place. Sub-Inspector Cassells said that Croon was really the lessee of the place, and Dennehy looked after it while Croon was in the street. He understood that Dennehy was a decent man, and he could not in such a case, ask for imprisonment. Tlie Magistrate said that for some inscrutable reasons in tlie past, the telegraph regulations had not- been enforced, but lie understood now that the regulations would be enforced. Accused would be fined £SO m default 6 weeks imprisonment.

On the second charge, no evidence was offered by the police.

Tho information was accord'ngly dismissed.

Charles Croon pleaded' guilty to charges of keeping a common gaminghouse and with frequenting a pjublio street for the purpose of betting. Mr AVauchop said that the defendant was one of the best known men in town at present, and was by common repute a bookmaker. Nothing else was known about him: - Tind; he was as reputable a citizen as there was in the town. 7'his business was carried on in a thoroughly honest manner. It- seemed, said Mr Wauchop, that it would he a mistake to send such a man to gaol to rub shoulders with crime. A magistrate had discretion in deciding what form tlie penalty should take. Tho Magistrate said' that the intoil':on of the penalty was to be a deterrent. The man had been previously’ warned, and imprisonment would be deterrent if a fine would not.

Mr AAhmchop said that it the postal and telegraphic regulations'Arere enforced, Croon would not be able to carry on liis business, and he real is. ed that. He intended to leave the place if given a chance. Sub Inspector Cassells said that defendant was a well-known bookmaker, and l be had been four times previously convicted of breaches of the Gaming Act. He was, however, a straight man who was spoken well of by the police. He thonglit. that Croon should, he fined on the first charge, and ordered to come up tor sentence when called upon on the second charge. Accused would know then, if called up he would be sent to gaol. The Magistrate said that on this occasion lie Would accept counsel’s undertaking that Croon would l leave the place. He would be fined £IOO in default- three months on the firstcharge, and ordered to come up for sentence on the second charge before leaving the district. Arthur Owen pleaded guiltv to two charges of frequenting a public street for the purpose of betting. Mr AALuichop said t-luit Owen in. tended to give up the business for the future.

-Sub-Inspector Cassells said that defendant had undertaken t 0 go out of tlie business. It was said that there ouo uoq.u. uoAisnjj m -Col’ oq ppio.u sinner repenteth, but during the morning there had been three repeaters-.

The Magistrate said that the joyin Heaven would be somewhat altered by the fact that repentance was due rather to Post office regulations' than a change of heart. Defendant would be fined .£IOO ’in default three months imprisonment on the first charge, and ordered to come up for sentence on July 2G, on. the second charge, a police report to be obtained of his doings in the meantime.