GAMING ACT

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 94, 19 March 1940, Page 3

GAMING ACT

TWO MEN FINED. POLICE VISIT SHANNON. Voluntary appearances were made in the Magistrate s Court, yesterday, by two persons who pleaded guilty to charges of street betting in Shannon on Saturday. One, William Edward do llidder, was fined £75, and the other, J. Caldwell, £SO. Air H. P. Lawry, S.AL, was on the Bench. On behalf of do Kidder, Air A. M. Ongley submitted a plea of guilty. Detective-Sergeant A. B. Aleiklejohn said that Detective O. Power and witness found de Kidder in ian hotel. He admitted that lie had been taking bets, paying totalisator odds with limits of £lO and £5. A book in accused’s possession showed a total of £6l 7s Od, the largest bet being £2O. He had £l3l 10s in his possession, but explained that £BO of this was his personal money. Accused was a Palmerston North resident who visited Shannon on race days. In 1939 lie had been before the Court on a similar charge, and had been in the Court on a betting charge in 1929. Air Ongley said de Kidder had suffered injuries to his head and could not do heavy work. He bad been taking the bets only on commission. Tho Magistrate remarked that if accused had £BO of his own he did not need to resort to bookmaking to make a living. The fine of last year would have to bo increased on this occasion, and it would therefore be £75. .

In regard to Caldwell, the detectivesergeant said accused had a tfital of £3B 7s 6d in his notebook in bets up to £2. Twelve months ago accused had been fined £2O on a similar charge, in 1922 had been fined in connection with playing “two-up,” and in 1935 ho had been fined for keeping a common gaminghouse in Shannon. Accused said he was taking bets only as an agent, and was fined £SO.