ANOMALIES OF THE LAW OF BETTING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIV, Issue 8020, 6 August 1887, Page 2 (Supplement)

ANOMALIES OF THE LAW OF BETTING.

In the Quecn'a Bench Division on Juno 17 v/ 5.3 decided the case of Crook v. Macmanon. Thia was nn action brought by a bookmaker against another person interested in tho turf, both of London, to recover a sum of £S-10, as tho baiaaco of an account between the parties in reepoct of betting transactions. Tho plaintiff claimed tho amount for losses on commissions executed by him en beta for the plaintiff with other persons during the Houghton week at Newmarket in October last year. Tho defendant pleaded in ciileot that the beta were not mado by tho plaintiff as hia agont, but woro made directly with tho plaintiff himself. Mr. Justice Grantham, in placing the caaa boforo the jury, remarked on the anomalous atato of tho exiuting law under which ono could recover botting money paid by him aa agent for angther, but could not recover a debt made directly by himself with another. It was no use moralising, and saying it ought not to bo so ; such was the law ; but ho hoped if no other good came of tho case it would bo a warning. It waa simply a quostion of the epider and the fly. Bookmakers always considered thoao peraone who dealt with them were made for their good ; although he admitted, as tho evidence afciowod, that bookmakers could carry out their transactions honourably. The rosulfc of the trial waa a verdict for the plaintiff with judgment for the amount claimed.