A RACECOURSE INCIDENT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 14511, 27 October 1910, Page 6

A RACECOURSE INCIDENT.

~" ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD.".';- .■■'.. V..[BY TELEGRAPH.PRESS ASSOCIATION.] Cheistchurch, Wednesday. On October 8, at, the New Brighton Trotting Club's meeting, a young man named Edmond Spencer, whilst strolling about, espied what looked like half-a-sovereign lying on the . ground and picked it up. A woman named Mis. Hubbard, saw the coin simultaneously and the two agreed to invest it on the totalisator. Mrs. Hubbard selected the horse No. 19 as her fancy, and Spencer went over to the tote to make the investment. As soon as the tote clerk saw the coin, however, he detected that it was a bogus half-sovereign end refused to take it. He asked Spencer his name, which was given to him, and then he sent for a policeman, who arrested Spencer. As the outcome of the affair, Spencer was charged before Mr. Bailey, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court to-day, with attempting to utter a counterfeit coin. Mrs. Hubbard detailed the facte of the case, and stated that she, too, had thought the half-sovereign was a good one. _ Sub-Inspector McGrath produced the imitation coin, which was examined by the magistrate. It was made of gilded cardboard and was one of those which were distributed in this city recently by a travelling showman. It was adduced during the hearing of evidence that several of them were lying about the trotting ground. ° The Magistrate said he would give the accused the benefit of the doubt, and dismissed the case. .