BOOKMAKING CASES

Grey River Argus, 9 January 1941, Page 6

BOOKMAKING CASES

ELLERSLIE AND NEWMARKET. AUCKLAND, January 7. Two men who appeared in the Police Court, before Mr F. H. Levien S.M., pleaded guilty to charges ot bookmaking. “He told the old story that he did it only to oblige friends,” said Detec-tive-Sergeant J. Walsh, in a case against William Alfred Doughty, aged 51, a cabinetmaker. Doughty was on the “hilf” at Ellerslie taking bets brought’ to him by a runner, Mr Walsh said. When Detective Gordon spoke to him he admitted having tak en between 50 and 60 bets from 2s 6d to ss, and he had £l2 8s in his possession. He said he took £l5 to the races the first day and lost some of it in betting, so he thought he would recoup himself by setting up in opposition to the totalisator. Mr Terrv, who appeared for accus- ( ed. said the bets laid averaged only seven a race. Accused was a married man with a wife and four children and had no previous convictions. This was merely a foolish escapade. A line of £2O was imposed. The other accused was Alexandei John Conway, aged 34, barmam Mr Walsh said that accused had £99 lbs 8d on him when accosted by the police in a hotel in Newmarket on Thursday. He had made bets amounting to £225. He had been employed at the hotel until three months ago,’ but had since continued to frequent it and been betting on a large scale. In 1935 he was lined £lO for bookmaking, and in iJo” £3 for being found in a common gaming house. Such men wehe a nuisance in hotel bars. Mr Terry, for accused, said the betting and money found on Conway represented his transactions on race meetings throughout the Dominion during the holidays. Because of illhealth he had been compelled to give up his employment in October, and had had heavy expenses. The magistrate imposed a line ot £4O.