RAGING COMPETITION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19892, 10 March 1928, Page 15

RAGING COMPETITION.

NEWSPAPER FINED £ls. A fine of £5 on each of three charges arising out. of a racing competition was imposed on Sun Newspapers, Limited, in a reserved judgment delivered by Mr. W. R. McKean, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday. One charge related to the company using its office for the purpose of receiving money as the consideration for a promise to pay £IOOO on the New Zealand Cup and New Zealand Trotting Cup, run in ChriStchurch. A similar charge was preferred against, the managing-director, Edward C. Huie. The other two charges against, the company were that on separate occasions the premises had been used for the purpose of receiving money as a consideration for a promise to pay money on a horse, race. " There is no dispute as to the facts," the magistrate said. "The company published coupons offering prizes to the persons who should correctly fill in" the names of the horses in certain races. . . . I am not. prepared to say the possession of some knowledge of the form of the horses may not. he an advantage to competitors. but the accurate placing of the horses at a time when it is not known whether some may be scratched, is, I think, a matter in which the element of chance predominates." Continuing, the magistrate said that to dispose of money by lottery or cliancc was an offence, anrf the managing-director of the company conld, he thought, be convicted of establishing a lottery. But,, as the company would be convicted, be thought it would be unfair to convict the managing-director upon -the same facts. The charge against him would be dismissed.