CRIMINAL SESSIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18088, 12 May 1922, Page 7

CRIMINAL SESSIONS.

ALLEGED BOOKMAKING.

TRIAL OF S. C. HINTON. VERDICT OF ACQUITTAL. The criminal sessions of the Auckland Supreme Court wore continued yesterday. The cases of S. 0. Hinton and F. C. Townsend were heard before Mr. Justice Stringer, Mr. Meredith appearing for the Crown, while those of J. K. Anderson, C. F. Wells, and S. A. Harris were taken before Mr. Justice Herdman, Mr. Fatorson oonducting the prosecution. A charge of carrying on business as a bookmaker was preferred against Sydney Clivo Hinton (Mr. Inder). Mr. Meredith said tiie evidence was the only possible evidence that could bo brought before the Court in such a case. It would be shown that a police constable, acting on instructions, mado a bet with the accused. Constable MacLenn&n 3aid he saw two men give the accused banknotes in the j Wavoricy Hotel on March 4, and witness' tl>en said to him, " Give mo ten shillings on Hipo." Hinton replied, "Ri(;ht; what name?" and witness said, "Peter Mac." Next day witness asked him for ten shillings on Golden Bubble, but Hinton de- j dined to take the money, saying " I do not bet." Constable Bonniface, who was also in the Waverloy Hotel, corroborative evidence. Senior-Detective Cummings and Detec-tive-Sergeant Hammond said that accused i had the reputation of being a bookmaker. : Detective-Sergeant Hammond stated that accused, when arrested, said " You are wrong this time. I am not a bookmaker j and do not bet." He had in his posses-- j sion £40 and a raoecard for the Napier | Park meeting. No evidence was called for the defence. ' Mr. Tndor submitted that it had not been proved that tho accused was carrying on business as a bookmaker. The fact of a man taking one bet did not make: him a bookmaker. The jury, after a retirement lasting half-an-hour, returned a verdict of not guilty. FOUR VERDICTS OF NOT GUILTY. VARIOUS OFFENCES ALLEGED. Thefts irom fellow-lodgers at a boarding- i houso in Upper Queen Street formed tho subject of charges against Francos Card lire is Townsena, agea t>o. It was alleged that he stoie £21, a shirt valued at lis, and a pair of spectacles valued at £1, the property of G. F. Thurgood, and a razor and case, valued at 10s bd, the property of John Hill. Evidence *as given by Detective Knight that the ihirt, spectacles, and razor were found in the accused's possession. Tho liharge in respect of the razor was withdrawn, it being stated by the cw-ner that he saw the accused with it, and he did not ask him for it, because he thought he might as well keep it. The accused, who conducted his own defence, cross-examined each witness at some length, and gave evidence himself denying the allegations against him. Tho jury returned a verdict of not guilty. A verdict of not guilty was returned by the jury after considering the charge of theft from the person made against Joseph ,Rov Anderson (Mb. Dickson). It was alleged that on the night of April 15 he snatched a handbag and contents valued at £9 from Mrs. Louisa Millers. Tho case rested upon identification of the accused. The accused was acquitted and dis- . In the case in which. Clinton Frederick Wells (Mr. Singer) was charged with attempted rape, or alternatively with indecent assault or assault on April Zl, the I chief witness for the prosecution broke ! down under cross-examination, and Mr. | Justice Herdman held that there was no j case to answer. Accused was there*ore discharged. . , , Samuel Anderson Hams (Mr. Moody), who was charged with attempted unlawful carnal knowledge or alternatively with indecent assault on a girl, was found not guilty and discharged.