THE FAN-TAN RAIN

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4207, 16 November 1900, Page 6

THE FAN-TAN RAIN

Messrs rl.iiph Levoi ami .Joseph Saunders, J.’nir, resumed their sitting" on tin' Cii.i;-"se gambling cases yesterday' afternoon. In delivering judgment in the ease, against -Hi Bing, who was charged ruder section -1 ol tin* Gaming and Act, 1881. keeping a common gaming House, Mr imv-.n said that liio case had been lully gone into l»y ..ho Bench, and it e.ni-idere-1 that tl'.c police had proved tin-ir case. There was no doubt that the house ol Ah fling pad Been kept fur gaming purposes. The section of the Act under which the information was laid provided a maximum penalty ot £11)0. There were, I;-,; wove;-, extenuating circumstances v.-hich the Bench had taken mto, consideration, and in »w of these it had cUcided te. initiet a i.ne ol .C - ’ G. (id, and order that the money impounded by the Crown he retained, as I)v statute nrovided. ‘Dr F indlay (lieu a-ked (hat the tine he made f’.'i Bis, so that lie .u gh! appt ->l on tho facts. After argument between Inspector Bender and counsel, the (-Go-ne-e objected to any increase being math' in’ the fine, so the matter was settled. Inspector Pender justified (lie action iidem : iy fee police. The majority d the defendants were poor woi king iron, w ho wee mode a prey for a few "lm-.Vn;,.’’ and it was for (lie protection of the victims thid, the.-e prof.cMliiiga were instituted. By arrangement between (he police and counsel for the twenty-nine Chinese arrested, for playing ‘-fan-tan" in the house c-f Ah Bing, it was arranged unit each, should plead gniitv and he adjudged to pay a fine of without costs. Tne costs of Court in Ah Bing's ease totalled ills.