BETTING IN HOTELS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19608, 9 April 1927, Page 13

BETTING IN HOTELS.

ATTITUDE of the police.

ACTION WITHOUT PREJUDICE.

COMMISSIONER'S SOLE DESIRE.

[BI TELUGKAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.! WELLINGTON. Friday The question of the police not reporting to the licensing committee hotels where betting and book-making was going on was referred to again to-day by the commissioner of police, Mr. W. B. McIlveney, when replying to a letter in a newspaper.

Under the Act of 1910 it was an offence for a bookmaker to bet in any licensed premises within the meaning of the Licensing Act in 1920," said Mr. Mcllveney. " That provision was repealed, so that there is nothing specific now so far as betting on licensed premises is concerned. One has to fall back on the generality of bookmaking being unlawful under the Gaming Act, 1920. "So far as the police are concerned they will enforce any Act fearlessly. They are not under the thumb of anyone, and when there is justification for action that action will be taken irrespective of whether it pleases or displeases any person or any section of the community. There is both mental and physical activity in the police force. "The commissioner of police never hesitates for his name to appear to any statement he may make to any person on any matter with which he is conversant, •but the commissioner will not place his opinion before that of the finding of a jury which has heard a case or cases and has acted under the direction of a Judge, and after hea,ring cross-examina-tion and addresses of counsel on both sides. Neither will he act until he is able to put in the box witnesses who will testify irrefutably to the facts upon which he would have to reply to support his proceedings. " Fair play is bonny play and every person is entitled to receive it, just as the commissioner thinks he is entitled to receive it. I am neither a bettor nor a drinker and am not involved in any way with either bookmakers or hotelkeepers. lam proud to say I have never made a bet in my life and am absolutely unprejudiced* My sole desire is to hold the scales of evenly. I am not prepared to do or to sanction the doing of wrong by members of the police force to please any person."