"JUST A DIVERSION"

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22142, 22 June 1935, Page 11

"JUST A DIVERSION"

SWEEPSTAKE IN HOTEL UNEMPLOYED MAN'S METHOD What was described by the police as a " crude but orignial " method of conducting a sweepstake was adopted by William James Sinclair, an unemployed man on sustenance, who was charged on summons in the Police Court yesterday with establishing a lottery. Defendant, who was represented by Mr. Gallagher, pleaded guilty. Sub-Inspector Fox said defendant was " in a very small way." Two constables entering a hotel found him brandishing three cards. One was an ordinary race card, and the others were old election tickets on which he was taking notes. He bad numbered metal discs, and after he had secured subscribers at Is a time he allowed them to draw the discs from his pocket, the number thus drawn being the number of the horse to be allotted to the subscriber. Defendant alleged that ho got nothing from the draw, and he was very frank in the matter. " The only benefit defendant stood to get out of it was that the winners sometimes ' shouted ' him," said Mr. Gallagher. " It was just a diversion," said defendant, in asking for leniency. A fine of 20s was imposed by Mr. W. R. McKean, S.M., defendant being allowed 14 days in which to pay.