Illicit Use Of Phones

Northern Advocate, 7 January 1948, Page 6

Illicit Use Of Phones

WELLINGTON, Wed. (Sp.)—"We are not at all impressed by the suggestion that the necessity for the maintenance of secrecy makes it impossible for the Post and Telegraph Department to know when a telephone is being used for illicit bookmaking.” The Royal Commission on Gaming and Racing states this in the section of its report urging rigid suppression of illegal off-course betting. “There are other ways besides listening in by which the mind of the department is or could be informed.

-In a country like this, where the Post and Telegraph services are under the control of a department of state, supine inactivities on the part of the department while its amenities are being used for unlawful purposes is unjustifiable and wrong.” The commission suggests that the departments regulations should be. amplified to provide that the department is, of its own initiative, to act whenever it has reasonable cause to believe that a telephone is being illicitly employed, and that it shall do so when called upon by the police. MAGISTRATE TO DECIDE The action suggested should take the form of proceedings before a *stipendaiy magistrate seeking a declaration by him, whether or not there is reasonable cause to believe that any telephone is being illicitly emploved. If the magistrate is satisfied in that respect the regulation should provide lor the immediate and permanent removal of the telephone.

li private individuals who allow bookmakers to use their telephones mi race days were laced wth tile risk

(>i permanently losing their phones limy probably would not be willin'* to allow them to be used.

This proposal also would make it difficult for telephones to continue to be used in connection with fictitious businesses.

The number of telephones proved by the police in prosecutions to have been m exclusive use by bookmakers m premises occupied wholly by them blit listed as installed in connection \vitli land and ottier agency business is striking,” the report adds. ■ ’ ’