CHINESE GAMESTERS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXIV, Issue 185, 20 July 1934, Page 7

CHINESE GAMESTERS

Mah Jongg Not Unlawful POLICE CHARGE FAILS By Telegraph—Press Association. TIMAHU, July 19. A case of some interest was heard ill the Court tu-day when Willie Wong, a Chinese fruiterer, was charged with keeping a gaming bouse. Four other Chinese were charged with being found in a gaming house. The case is a sequel to a police raid when the accused were fuuud in the kitchen el the premises playing Mah Jougg. Each man bad a pile of money in front of him. The case hinged on the determination whether Mah Jongg was a game oj chance and thereby an unlawful game. A witness, Percy Chew Lee, described the game, stating that skill was involved in determining what tiles (as pieces are called) wire held by the opponents mid what they were endeaxuuiiug to build up. An exhibition of the game wu s given Hi Court by four Chinese. Mr C. It Orr-Walker, S.M., said that tbe police case rested upon whether Mah Jougg was a game of pure chance or whether it contained a sufficient element of skill to remove it from that category. The legislature had determined certain Chinese games as unlawful but Mah Jongg was not included. Ho had cornu to the conclusion that there was a substantial ainuuiit of skill in the game, and the police cases must fail. The informations were dismissed.