PAKAPOO GAMES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21132, 15 March 1932, Page 12

PAKAPOO GAMES.

EUROPEANS INVOLVED. CHINESE KEEPER FINED £SO. MAN IMPRISONED FOR ASSAULT. ' The number cf Europeans involved \vith pnkapoo games is becoming so largo that the police will have to take very strong measures," said Detective-Sergeant Kelly in the Police Court yesterday, when a Chinese, Car Chang, aged 36, described as a gardener, was charged with keeping premises at 61, Grey's Avenue, as a common gaming house. Eight Europeans, who were on the, premises at the time of tiie police raid on 'Saturday evening, were charged with being found without lawful excuse on premises used as a gaining house. "It is now a question of East, meeting West in Grey's Avenue," Mr. Kelly added. " The police have received numerous complaints about, the gaming going on and as a result the street has been kept under close supervision. The extent, of the business can bo realised from the fact thai 14 banks arc drawn each day. Each bank is guaranteed by a Chinese syndicate to £SOO. If a playci marks ten squares correctly he is due to receive £75, for eight ,1150 and so on downward.'' " Oh, I know tlie game," said the magistrate, Mr. 1'• K. Hunt, amid laughter. Mr. Kelly added that a European had come to him claiming that lie had marked ten of the squares correctly, but the bank had refused to pay the £75. Later lie had been offered £1 a we&k or, as a compromise, £2O, to " make it square. " The game will have to be stopped, faid the magistrate. " Only one of its bad features is that it affords a gathering place for- pickpockets and all kinds of rogues." Counsel for the, defendant Chinese said that as far as the complaint of failure to pay on a ticket was concerned, tho bank claimed that several forged tickets had been played in that, particular game. Chong was in ill-health and was not financially interested in the bank.

" I fined the last- man charged with keeping a pakapoo bouse £25; ibis time the fine will be £50," said the magistrate, in convicting Chong. An alternative sentence of three months' imprisonment was imposed, no time being allowed in which to pay the line. Seven of the men found on the premises ■were each fined £2, in default seven days imprisonment. As a, result of an incident in the same raid, Archibald Swain, aged 38, barman, -was charged with assaulting DetectiveSergeant O'Sullivan while in. tho execution of his duty and with committing mischief bv breaking a plate-glass window, valued at £ls. He pleaded not guilty. Detective-Sergeant Kelly said that while the police were having difhoulty in removing the arrested men from the building a large brick had been thrown, harrowlv missing Detective-Ser-geant O'Sullivan and crashing through the window of the shop. Identification of the accused as the man who threw rthe brick was given by a bystander. Giving evidence,, accused denied the offence, and said a man behind him had thrown the

brick. ~ " This is a very serious affair, said the magistrate, in sentencing accused to r month's imprisonment on the first charge. The second charge was adjourned for proof of the value of the window.