RAID ON GAMBLERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19976, 19 June 1928, Page 11

RAID ON GAMBLERS.

FINES AMOUNT TO £172. DALMATIANS AT "HAZARDS." SUCCESSFUL WORK BY POLICE. Fines totalling £172 were imposed on 19 Dalmatians arid one European in the Auckland Police Court yesterday, on charges of gambling with dice at 48, Victoria Street, on Saturday evening. The charges formed a sequel to a raid by th«» police. A storekeeper, Mareno olavas, aged 36, was fined £SO on a count of keeping a common gaming-house, while Joe Plamus, aged 51, contractor, was fine'd a similar sum for assisting in the management. Penalties of £4 were inflicted on each of the following on charges of being found on the premises:—Luka Dean, aged 42: Mark Dugonzich, aged 32; John Barbarich, aged 48; Niko Tunich, aged 39; George Tole, aged 3b; Mick Matieh, aged 46; Tonie Urlich, aged 42; Tony Erceg. aged 42; Mati Matosvich, aged 62; Steve Gordich, aged 40; Mark Roglich, aged 39; Paul Corich, aged 38; Fred James Folhis, aged 26; William 'Nick Lojhur, aged 32; Andas Boticli, aged 39; Mark Roglich, aged 40; Peter Katich, aged 38; and Ned Pekvn, aged 34. A Stampede for the Exits. Chief-Detective Hammond said that when the raiding party arrived at the place, about 5 o'clock, it was getting dark. No. 48 was a grocer's shop with a room at the back. He left three men at the back, and went round to the front with Detective Nalder. They waited in front of a Chinese shop nearby, and when Glavas opened the door leading on to the street, witness swept him aside, with Detective Nalder at his heels. The place had been raided previously, and so he more or less knew the situation of the rooms inside. He went straight into the gaming room, and there found the men gambling. All of them were playing "hazards," which was played with a box and two dice. They were all Dalmatians except Follas. Spread on the table was money amounting to £5 or £6. What he wanted was the leather-box and the two little, red, transparent dice (producedj. He made a bee-line for them, but was nearly knocked over and killed in the stampede that followed when the men realised who he was. Everyone rushed about looking for exits, whilo tome snatched money off the table. He snatched, too, and got only 10s, but his main object was the box and dice. Plamus said to him: "This is my school." Large Sums Lost and Won. "Hazards is the greatest gambling game in Australia or New Zealand," the chief detective added. "As much as £6OO or £7OO is lost and won in a night." Pleading guilty, Plamus said Glavas paid the rent for the shop but he rented the gaming-room from Glavas, who had nothing whatever to do with the "school," which had been going for about six weeks. Chief-Detective Hammond: When it was laided last time Glavas was running it. Why was he in charge of the door if he had nothing to do with it this time'! In denying his guilt, GTavas said hard times had forced him to let the room to Plamus, but he was not associated with the gambling game. One of the oldest Dalmatians, in the course of his plea of innocence, said lie had not gambled that day, and had been in the room for only a few minutes before the arrival of the police. Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M.: Oh, you need not let that worry you. There is nothing very criminal about gambling, you know. In fining the men, the magistrate said they were aTT on the place and were.all equally guilty.