LOTTERY TICKETS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22345, 17 February 1936, Page 10

LOTTERY TICKETS

IRISH SWEEPSTAKE PROSECUTION OF AGENT VAGRANCY CHARGE FAILS [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] GREYMOUTH, Saturday In the Police Court yesterday afternoon, before Mr. H. Morgan, S.M., Walter Samuel Nickolls, aged 45, barman, was charged that on February 12, at Greymouth, ho was deemed to be an idle and disorderly person in that he had insufficient lawful means of support. He pleaded not guilty. Detective-Sergeant Knight said accused arrived in Greymouth on February 4, and on successive days until his arrest canvassed the town, purporting to bo an accredited agent for the Irish Freo State sweepsake, which was illegal in New Zealand. Accused had had typed locally a sheet headed "Official Irish Sweepstake Agent, Timaru, Palmerston North, Wellington, Auckland, Christchurch and Dunedin. . Sweep closes April 19, 1936. Tickets 10s, exchange Is. Receive tickets about April 10. Results May 16. Fiftynino tickets for Greymouth only." Below this heading were 59 numbered spaces, and below the spaces was a notice, "Our official agent will call on you every three months to see that you get your tickets and results. Official headquarters, Auckland." Accused also had a similar sheet with spaces for Timaru filled in, continued witness. He had uplifted Irish sweepstake tickets from a number of persons to whom tickets had been sent from Ireland. In the presence of Inspector Cameron and witness accused said ho had been employed for 12 months at £6 a week by two men who came from Ireland and established themselves in Auckland as an agency for the Irish sweepstake. He said he had no other employment and no other means. The sum of £5 12s was found in his possession, but there was no trace of the rest of the money collected in Greymouth. In his belongings was found a Post Office Savings Bank book with a credit of one shilling from November 19. 1933.

Defendant gave evidence that he had £l3 or £l4 when he arrived Greymouth, but only about £6 was his own. That represented the balance of wages received. He had been told to come to Greymouth to investigate complaints that tickets sold here had not been sent forward. Ho collected some money in Greymouth for tickets and sent £l3 away to Auckland on Monday by ordinary post with chits on which were names and addresses. The £5 12s found in his possession was part of his wages. "I cannot give the names of my employers in Auckland; those are my instructions from them," said accused, in reply to a question from the magistrate. The magistrate said there was no evidence to rebut accused's statement that the money found in his possession was part of his wages, and there was equally no evidence to show that he had obtained money dishonestly. That the Irish sweepstake was unlawful in New Zealand was not the question. The case was similar to one quoted by the defence, and as accused had money, which was a lawful means of support, he would be acquitted.