WHAT IS GAMING?

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume LX, Issue LX, 31 October 1910, Page 7

WHAT IS GAMING?

AN INTERESTING CASE. BY TELBGEAPH— PBEBS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, Oct. 31. Mr Cutten, S.M., delivered reserved judgment in a test case, being one of against the keepers or billiard alleging, in effect, that their rooms were conducted as a common gaming house. The fact upon which the prosecution depended was that defendant allowed pool to be played for small stakes daily, it being contended that the playing of any game for any stake was gaming, and that playing such a game habitually constituted the saloon a common gaming house. Mr Cutten said he thought the weight of authority favored this contention. Having a license to keep a billiard saloon did not, in the magistrate's opinion, help defendant. There was no room to infer that the Legislature had in view wagering upon games of chance only, and not on playing a game of skill for a stake even when the stake was contributed by the parties themselves, but such play was gaming within the ordinary meaning of the words of the Ac*, and evidence that the place was habitually used for such play was evidence of gaming. Seeing defendant was convicted of keeping a common gaming house he would be fined £6 and costs. Notice of appeal was given and other cases have been held over pending the result of the appeal.