CHINESE GAMING RAID.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19676, 30 June 1927, Page 12

CHINESE GAMING RAID.

FINES BROUGHT TO £3OO.

SELLING OF PAKAPOO TICKETS. OPIUM SMOKING ALLEGATION. Further fines totalling £lB4 were imposed in the Police Court yesterday on Chinese found in the restaurant in Grey Street raided by the police on Sunday evening. This raises the total amount of fines levied in connection with the raid to £3OO.

Foug Hung, aged 32. was fined £SO for permitting the premises to be used as a common gaming house, and Ah Lee, aged 49, and Ah Wing, aged 36, were each fined a similar amount for using the premises as a common gaming house. The magistrate, Mr. McKean, remarked he could make little distinction between these three principals. The remaining accused, who numbered 24, were charged with being found on the premises without lawful excuse. Mr. Tong said the four mall jong players had decided to plead guilty, and they were fined £2 each. Nine others, who had been in the basement, but ran upstairs to the Grey Street floor when the police arrived, also pleaded guilty, and were each fined £2. Four others found on the Grev Street floor pleaded guilty and were fined £2 each.

Two men stated they were employed as cooks in the basement, and the charges against them were dismissed. Young Man With Opium Pipe. One young man said he had been ill in bed on the top floor. Chief-Detective Cummings: He was lying on a bed all right, but he was smoking an opiuin pipe with the keeper of the premises. That may be the subject of another charge. As there was no evidence that accused was concerned in the gaining, the charge was dismissed. Charges against a youth, who said he had merely bought a bag of buns from the restaurant, and against three men, who said they were waiting to see an acquaintance about the purchase of a horse and cart, were also dismissed. Constable Sutherland said he purchased pakapoo tickets from Ah Wing on nine occasions this month, including the day of the raid. On each occasion he returned after the drawing of tho bank, but failed to win anything. The soiling of the tickets was done quite openly in a room off the restaurant.

Detective-Sergeant O'Brien said Fong Hung lived on the premises and paid the rent. Ah Bee was in charge of tho game in the basement, which was divided into two portions. Dice, pakapoo tickets, dominoes, and mah jong pieces were found on the tables. On the entrance of the police the players snatched their money, and some of them rushed to the stairs leading to the Grey Street floor. The Mali Jong Players. Detective O'Sullivan said he found four men playing mah jong in a small room off tho restaurant, ono of them being in the act of throwing the dice. He had Is 1-jd on the table before him, but the others snatched their money away. They said they were playing for small stakes. Ah Wing was seated at a packing-case in another room selling pakapoo tickets. Detective White said he went upstairs to the floor above the restaurant. He saw Fong Hung run across a room and caught him as he threw something from a window. This was found later and proved to be an opium pipe and lamp. He took Fong Hung to a room fitted with a Yale lock. Another Chinese was found inside and the room was reeking with opium smoke. Fong Hung had £99 4s in his possession. Mr. Tong: Did not the. upper floor appear to be used as a sort of boarding house ?—Witness: It seemed to me to be used as an opium-smoking den. Mr. Tong said the basement of the building was rented by Ah Lee at £2 weekly, and this was all that Fong Hung received from it. He had no connection with the gaming there. A legitimate restaurant business was conducted on the Grey Street floor, tho poultry bill alone being £45 weekly and the meat bill £2O weekly. The top floor contained 18 beds and was used as a boarding house. Four men were found playing mah jong, but this was a gam"! of skill, dependent on good memory.

" Making It Expensive." Mi'. Tong said he would leave the matter to the magistrate's discretion and would not put his clients in the witness box. Chief-Detective Cuuirnings: 1 submit I have established a prima facie case, and accused have failed to answer it. Tho Magistrate: There is a case to answer, and if they are not going to give evidence I will have to convict. Asked if ho had anything to say. Ah Leo said friendly gatherings of Chinese were held in his rooms, and added: "You cannot stop them having a small game." The Magistrate, smiling: T suppose it is rpiite true that I cannot stop it. but I can do my best by making it expensive for those who do play.