PREMISES RAIDED

Northern Advocate, 5 February 1934, Page 10

PREMISES RAIDED

LAYER OF “DOUBLES.” PAINTER FINED ,£5O (Special to “Northern Advocate.”) AUCKLAND, This Day. Arrested on Saturday afternoon, when Detectives Moore, Brady, Gillum and Constable Flynn executed a search warrant on an office in the city, Alexander Alderton, painter, aged 34, appeared in the Police Court this morning charged with using premises as a common gaming house. Alderton pleaded guilty. Detective-Sergeant . McHugh said that, on January 29, Constable Flynn visited the premises and had backed a " double " with Alderton, receiving a confirmation slip. On February 3 the same constable went to the office and took two further “doubles” and also made a straight-out bet. At 2.45 p.m. the same day the four police officers executed a search warrant and arrested Alderton in the office. A quantity of the usual betting material was found. It was the first time Alderton had ever been in trouble for betting. Alderton had nothing to say. “The penalties imposed recently have not acted as a great deterrent, so far as bookmakers are concerned,” the Magistrate, Mr W. R. McKean, told Alderton. "You are not charged with carrying on the business of a bookmaker, although that is what you were doing.” Alderton was fined £5O or six weeks’ imprisonment. Time in which to pay the fine was refused.

Three men were charged with being found on the premises without lawful excuse. One, who had been previously convicted on a similar charge, was fined £3, while each of the other two was fined £l.