FINES OF £lOO

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23017, 20 April 1938, Page 15

FINES OF £IOO

BOOKMAKERS CHARGED "ONLY PROVIDING SERVICE" PLEA BY ONE ACCUSED POLICE RAIDS ON PREMISES Gaming charges were preferred against two men in the Police Court yesterday, before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M. Arthur George Williams, tobacconist, aged 43, was charged with using premises in Pitt Street as a common gaming house, and Nicholas Saunders, tailor, aged 34, was similarly charged in respect of premises in Karangahape Road. Both accused pleaded guilty. Detective-Sergeant McHugh said search warrants were executed by detectives on Saturday in consequence of many complaints about both premises. In each case betting material was found. "Williams carries on bookinaking in a big way," added Mr. McHugh. "He is well known to the police and conies up to see us here pretty often." "I see ho wan here twice last year," said the magistrate, reading Williams' record. "He is qualified to go up." Accused: I am only tending a service required by the sporting fraternity of New Zealand. It might not be within the law, but 85 j>er cent of the people want betting. The Magistrate: I think the less you say about it the better. Mr. McHugh: If, as he says, 85 per cent of the people are betting, his business is better than I thought. The police evidence was that Saunders also was well established in the bookmaking business, and was recognised by the police as a man who was continuously betting. He also had previously been before the Court. Each accused was fined £IOO. in default three months' imprisonment. Seven days wore allowed for payment. When asked if he wanted time to pay, Williams said the police had his money, and they could take the fine out of it.

BETS TAKEN ON RACECOURSE "WORKING ON COMMISSION" [BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION'] CHHTSTCHURCH, Tuesday When Detective-Sergeant McClung noticed a man writing something at the Riccarton races yesterday afternoon, his suspicions were aroused, and he kept the man under observation. The detective's suspicions were confirmed when he later approached the man and found that he was taking bets in sums ranging from Is to 2s Od. A total of 30s had been collected. The man admitted the offence, but said he was only working on commission. This was the story told by DetectiveSergeant Holmes when Joseph Alfred Gardner, a labourer, aged 38. appeared in the Magistrate's • Court this morning on a charge of bookmaking. He pleaded guilty, and was fined £lO nnd costs, in default three months' imprisonment.