HEAVY FINE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 9, 8 December 1937, Page 9

HEAVY FINE.

UNDER GAMING ACT. AUCKLAND CASE. Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Dee. 8. Holding that Prod Murray, the occupier of the i Manukau Hotel, Onebunga, had used the hotel for some of the purposes referred in to section 36 of the Gaming Act, and that there was evidence of a general business .of betting on the premises, Mr C. R. Orr Walker, S.M., to-day, convicted him and imposed a fine of £25 for keeping premises as a common gaming house. The Magistrate said the evidence showed that more than on odd one or two bets had been taken by the licensee. A plain clothes constable had got defendant to accept money for bets on two horses without difficulty, and seven days later the same constable had paid him money for three bets. The constable saw other men handing money to defendant. The constable received his winnings from defendant, who took the' money from the bar till. The constable’s companion also paid defendant money for a bet. The Magistrate said the conclusion was that defendant was receiving bets as an agent for a bookmaker, and left the bar to communicate personally or by telephone with a bookmaker. Sufficient material was found to make in conjunction with the evidence a prima facie case against defendant.