POLICE RAIDS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23192, 11 November 1938, Page 10

POLICE RAIDS

CITY BOOKMAKERS TEN MEN FINED PENALTIES OF £630CALLS ON TELEPHONE Detectives raided seven city premises yesterday afternoon, and arrested 10 men for- bookmaking. All the accused pleaded guilty to gaming charges, when they later appeared irf tho Police Court, before Mr. C. R. Orr Walker, S.M. The fines ranged from £2O to £IOO and totalled £6BO. Detective-Sergeant Nalder, who prosecuted, said that most of the premises were fitted with telephones and some j with radio sets arid la>rge numbers of betting slips were found. In some cases detectives succeeded in taking bets over the telephone when it rang during their presence, but there were others where the callers refused to state their business when answered by a strange voice. There was evidence of some of the accused being in a big way of business, accounts showing this, in addition to sums of money found in their possession at the time. Maximum Fine Imposed William Thomas Osmond was charged as the occupier of premises at 156 Hobson Street used as a common gaming house. Mr. Nalder said that accused had been bookmaking for 10 years and had 11 previous convictions. There was no doubt that he did a good business, as there were 56 betting slips on a race meeting at Christchurch that day, in addition to £33 in cash. The telephone, which was unlisted, rang five times while the police were present, but no bets were taken. "Imprisonment for the full term is indicated by a list like this," said the magistrate. accused has been lulled into a sense of security through not being raided before. This time ne will be fined the maximum of £IOO, with costs, 10s, in default three months' imprisonment." Walter Harold Downey was charged as the occupier of premises used as a common gaming house at 73 Victoria Street, and Arthur Callaghan, barman, aged 53, was charged with assisting in the management of the premises. Over £3OO Found Both were on the premises when tho police entered, said Mr. Nalder. Downey, who had two previous convictions, took over the premises some months ago from a man who formerly used them for the same purpose. A sum of £l9B was found, in addition to £146 in. Callaghan's pockets, -while 53 bets taken during the day were for amounts totalling £36. The premises had been raided frequently in the past, and Downey had a big business. Callaghan was not known to the police. Downey was fined £IOO, in default three months' imprisonment, and Callaghan £25, or a month, 10s costs being entered in each case. William George Upfold was charged as the occupier and William Kiwiti Wynyardi and Stanley Robert Downing as the assistants, in respect of premises in Mining Chambers. Mr. Terry represented all the accused. - Bets Taken by Detectives

The accounts showed that a large volume of business was ' taken this week, said Mr. Nalder. Fifty-four bets for £25 were taken that day, and the office was equipped with two telephones and an addressing machine. Four bets were, taken by detectives while the three accused were on the premises. Wynyard was the only man previously convicted, and that was 10 3*ears ago. Mr. Terry said that, as the New Zealand Cup week was being celebrated in Christchurch, the betting was not truly indicative of the size of the business. Upfold was fined £75, in default two months' imprisonment,, Wynyard £25 and Downing £2O, in default one month's imprisonment, with costs 10s in each case; Robert William Roberts, printer, aged 28 (Mr. Finlay), was charged as the occupier of premises in the Safe Deposit Building used as a common gaming house. Accused had been in the premises about a year and conducted a large business, said Detective-Sergeant Nalder. The telephone rang eight time's wiiiile the police were there, and there was £l7 on the premises, which had previously been raided, but before accused took them oirer. I Roberts was fined! £75 and costs lOsi, in default two months' imprisonment. "Only Means , of Livelihood" Reginald George Wareham was charged as tho * occupier of premises used as a common gaming house at 322 Pacific Buildings. Mr. Nalder said that accused was alone in his office with the door locked when the police arrived, but he opened to the knock, and frankly admitted carrying on the business as a bookmaker as his only means of livelihood. Nothing was previously known against him, but he apparently had a good business, as over £2l was found. Wareham-; wa§ fined £75 and costs 10s, in default two months' imprisonment. ; . ' •

Harry Millward was charged as the occupier of premises used as a common gaming house at 65 Pitt Street.. Accused had a room behind a shop, where lie carried on his bookmaking business, said Mr. Nalder. It was known that be transacted a large volume of business, and usually had an assistant, who, however, was absent f hen the police arrived. Accused was ned for. assisting a year ago, when a previous raid was made. - ' Millward was fined £75 and costs 10s, in default two months' imprisonment. "Took Bets to Oblige Clients" Alexander Clarence MacKenzie, aged 36, was charged as the occupier of the Paramount Billiards Saloon in Hallenstein Brothers' Building and using tho premises as a common gaming house, Mr. Nalder said that accused was in his office, and tried to dispose of a tin containing many betting slips when he saw the police enter. The tin was recovered and the slips recorded over 30 bets for the day totalling about £25. Accused admitted that ho had been in charge of tho premises for six months and had been taking bets up to £1 on a commission basis for three months. He had not previously been in Court, !•"* MacKenzie, who said he took bets to oblige clients, was fined £6O and costs 10s, in default two months' imprisonment.