ALLEGED BOOK-MAKING.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 254, 17 February 1921, Page 5

ALLEGED BOOK-MAKING.

AUCKLAND CHARGE DISMISSED

(Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Feb. 16. A charge of having carried on IJIO business or occupation of bookmaking on January 22, was made against John Weston < (Mr Hogben), who was tried before Mr Justioo Stringer and a jury at the Supreme Court, today. The Crown Prosecutor (Mr Meredith) conducted the prosecution. Mr Meredith briefly outlined the case for the Crown. Detective-Sergeant Hammond said lie had known the accused for seven or eight years, and had never known him to follow any oilier occupation than 1 hat of bookmaking. In company with Detective I'itzgibbon, witness went with a warrant to room 12 in His Majesty's Arcade at noon on January 22. Witness obtained a ladder and looked over the fanlight and saw Weston in his office. Witness upon accused to open the, door which he did. In the oftico behind the clubroom was v. desk on which was an open-face watch, an important item to a bookmaker betting on a starting price. A large collection of writing and printed matter relating to racing and bookmaking was found in the room. During the half hour the detectives were there an urgent, telegram arrived from Trcntham giving the result of ;i. race. A number of men came in, but some of them on seeing the detectives went away hurriedly. Two of them came in to put money on horses running that day at Wellington and witness made bets with 'them. The statement of a seaman was read to the effect that he had made a bet with accused before Christmas and had visited him on January 22 to have another bet. Counsel for the defence, addressing the jury, emphasised the fact that the Act which came into force in August, laid down that a bookmaker was one who habitually held himself out to bet. Counsel submitted that | there were four essential features to the bookmaking business. Firstly, a bookmaker I must habitually make bets, and there was no evidence to prove that at any time since the passing of the Act anyone had made beta with accused; secondly, he must keep a book recording debts, and there was no evidence to show he had any record of any beta made since August; thirdly, ho must oiler to make bets, and there was a total ak'-eneo of evidence that accused had at u.nv time let alone since August, offered to make beta; lastly, he must have issued circulars or double charts stating with whom or where, he made bets and the odds. I here was no suggestion that were issued. liv summing up,' His Honour said that, however the jury might diller in their opinions of the law, the Act made bookmaking unlawful. Ho was bound to say that the evidence to establish that accused bad carried on an unlawful business since August was singularly weak. Hie evidence was far too Qimsy to justify the conclusion that Weston was systematically carrying on the business of a book-maker. After a retirement of half an hour the jury found Weston not guilty and ho was discharged.