SLOT MACHINES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22026, 5 February 1935, Page 12

SLOT MACHINES

SALE OF CIGARETTES ILLEGAL TRADING ALLEGED DISMISSAL OF INFORMATION [by telegraph —OWN correspondent] WHANGAREI. Monday A judgment of considerable importance to shopkeepers, dealing with the sale of cigarettes from automatic machines, was delivered by Mr. G. X. Morris, S.M., in the Whangarei Police Ggurt to-day. Harry John Preebe. Robert Laurie and Cyril Courtney Dempster, all of Whangarei, were charged with keeping open their shops in Cameron Street for the purpose of selling cigarettes after hours and also with selling cigarettes after hours in a public place. Mr. R. K. Trimmer appeared for defendants.

' In his judgment, the magistrate said it was admitted that each defendant sold goods by means of an automatic vending machine, placed within the limits of the building, but outside the shop doors, and always accessible from the street. His interpretation of the section of the Act under which the information was laid was that there could bo no offence unless there was personal public work. "The dismissal of these informations does not in any way indicate that the defendants could not be convicted if through slot machines they sold cigarettes to youths," the magistrate added. "I am prepared to dismiss the informations against one defendant and to withhold meantime my decision in the other cases. I think it desirable that a decision of a higher Court should be obtained, as obviously slot machines were not considered when the Act was passed."