GAMING HOUSE RAID AT KIMBOLTON

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 161, 11 July 1939, Page 3

GAMING HOUSE RAID AT KIMBOLTON

Well-known Farmer Fined £35

POLICE INTERRUPT PROCEEDINGS

A police raid on residential premises at Kimbolton on Saturday afternoon resulted in the appearance at the Feilding Magistrate's Court yesterday of three persons who faced charges relating to breaches of the Gaming Act.

Francis Granville James Gerke, farmer, of Kimbolton, was charged with carrying on the business of a bookmaker and with having the use of premises situated at Kimbolton and known as the residence of Mrs. Sarah Smith, 'did use same as a common gaming house. Frank Arthur Voss, farm labourer, and Peter Jessen Christensen, farmer, both of Kimbolton, were charged with being found in a common gaming house without lawful excuse. Mr. R. M. Watson, S.M., was on tho Bench, Sergeant Turner prosecuted and Mr. P. C. Miles represented the accused, who pleaded guilty. Explaining the circumstances, Sergeant Turner said that on Saturday afternoon last, in company with Detec-tive-Sergeant Meiklejohn, of Palmerston North, a raid was conducted on the residence of Mrs. Sarah Smith at Kimbolton. On knocking at the door Mrs. Smith answered and in reply to Sergeant Turner said that her sou, the defendant Gerke, Would be out in a minute. Detective-Sergeant Meiklejohn had a search warrant and entered the premises to find the defendant Gerke in the act of endeavouring to burn some papers dealing with betting transactions. These he recovered, and the Sergeant exhibited them to tho Court. Other betting material was found on the premises and it appeared that Gerke was in a fairly large way. There was a telephone and a radio in the room and during the time the police were present the ’phone rang six times foT betting. Mrs. Smith carried on farming operations assisted by her son, the defendant Gerke. In a statement to the police, Gerke said that he had taken between £ls and £l6 worth of bets that day. Both Voss and Christensen admitted that they had been betting with Gerke and made statements to that effect. Mr. P. C. Miles said that Gerke had been engaged in bookmaking some years ago but had given it up until recently, following a trip to Australia. He had only engaged in the business at tho request of friends and had been accepting bets for the past eight months. However, counsel could assure the Court that the defendant would now definitely give up the business. He asked that as defendant was a first offender his case could be met by the imposition of a fine.

The Magistrate said that Gerke was a first offender and apart from his action in endeavouring to destroy betting papers by throwing them into the fire he had not given the police any trouble. Counsel had stated that Gerke would give up the business of taking bets and while the Magistrate had heard such assurances before he would accept counsel’s statement but would remind defendant that the Supreme Court had directed that in cases where

it was warranted, terms of imprisonment should be imposed. However, Magistrates were allowed soqje discretion in the matter and Mr. Watson proposed to exercise this power and would fine defendant £35 with costs on the charge of carrying on the business of a bookmaker. He would be convicted and discharged on the other count. Dealing with the charges against Voss and Christensen, the Magistrate said that they were statutory first offenders and would be fined £4 with costs 10s each.