Bookmakers Fined Heavily

Manawatu Times, Volume 66, Issue 196, 19 August 1941, Page 7

Bookmakers Fined Heavily

THREE BEFORE PALMERSTON I NORTH COURT Three citizens of Palmerston North appeared before Mr. H. P. Lawry, 8.M., *n tne Magistrate’s Court yesterday to acknowledge Having carried, on ous.uess as bookmakers. Two, who had been before tne Court before, were each fined *2OO, while the third, making his first appearance, paid a penalty of £25. Tne first to appear was Johh Bruce Clark. Detective-Sergeant A. B. Meiklejohn said Detective Long and Constable Coutts found tnree telephones at defendant’s residence and j 195 bets totalling £136. There was also a list of the placed horses in the Grand National meeting at Christcnurch up to tfie sixth race as well as the scratchings. Clark had been before the Court j on gaming charges in 1938, 1939 and ■ 1940 and on tho last two occasions had been fined £loo.—Fined £2OO. The second to appear was Ernest James Watson who pleaded that he was only an agent. Detective-Sergeant Meiklejoun said that wnen Detective Pell and Constable McJannett visited ' defendant s rooms they got not answer! to knocks and had to force the door j open. Watson was found at a telephone and gave that excuse for not answering to knocks. There were two telephones and a small quantity of betting materials, Bets received totalled £4B 10s while an additional £8 5s was taken while the police were present. Tho Detective-Sergeant said no- material was found covering tno first two races of tho Grand National meeting and Watson denied having had any. it was obvious to anyone, nowever, that a bookmaker couldn’t carry on with just the few sheets found by the police. Defendant had been before the Court' on three previous occasions for similar offences and fined £IOO on each.—Fined £2UO. Alonzo Parsons, who made his first appearance, w*as fined £25. He was described as a bootmaker who also conducted a small dairy. DetectiveSergeant Meiklejohn said defendant had admitted receiving bets for 12 montns on a commission basis. Two j doubles charts and bets totalling 1 £3l 15s had been taken on the day the police visited his business premises while another £2 17s Gd was taken per telephone while they were there.