COURT NEWS

Grey River Argus, 11 August 1944, Page 7

COURT NEWS

GAMBLER FINED £lOO. AUCKLAND, August 10. Pleading guilty to a charge of using premises known as the oiiv Slipper as a common gaming house, Alexander Watt Wilson, 34, to-day, was fined £lOO by the Magistrate (Mr. The police stated that following a complaint bv a man who said he naa lost a considerable amount of money, detectives went to the club at 4.3 U yesterday afternoon, and found a number of men playing two-up witn dice on the ground floor. Wilson stated he was paying £l5 a week as rent. He collected a Shilling ner Player every half-hour, acting as croupier The police drew attention to the tact that the game 'was played during working hours, and it would appear that Wilson was a professional gambler, although he said he was a wharf labourer. , ~ . , , In imposing the fine, the Magistrate said it appeared to be an open and profitable business, if Wilson was able to pay the rental he had mentioned. £375 IN FINES. PALMERSTON N., Aug. 10. In the Magistrate’s Court, Mr. Lawry, S.M.. imposed a' fine of £lOO to cover both charges, when William Arthur Sutherland, of Palmerston North, farmer, was charged with unlawfully? making spirits (whisky) and having in his possession a still suitable for distilling. Defendant pleaded guilty. Defectives stated that they visited defendant’s residence and found the apparatus, but defendant admitted, when questioned, that the main > part had been sent to Taupo. This was recovered.

Defendant said he had made only one brew as an experiment, to treat, his friends. He had not sold any.

On a charge of having uncustomed Ngarettes in his possession defendant was fined £25.

In another case. Joseph Patrick Queenan pleaded guilty to unlawfully making spirits and -having in his possession a . still-head suitable for distilling. Detectives said that when they visited defendant’s property they discovered nine barrels of wash fermenting. and also a complete still. Only about a gallon of whisky was found.

Defendant said he was doing it for an experiment.

The Magistrate pointed out that the general set-up suggested a very different class of offence from that of Sutherland, and indicated that there had been commercial dealing. Fines .of £2OO on the first charge and £5O o n the second were imposed.