POKER IN A PUB.

NZ Truth, Issue 818, 16 July 1921, Page 6

POKER IN A PUB.

If everyone who lost money at poker "squealed" to the police the latter would be kept . pretty busy> but as a^ good mug never tumbles and a good sport never grumbles, cases like the one brought before Magistrate Poynton, at Auckland Magistrate's Court, on Monday, do not often see the light of publicitjr. Tom Markwick, mine host of the Windsor Castle Hotel, was charged with having permitted gambling upon the licensed premises of the "pubbery." On his behalf Mr. Selwyn Mays pleaded guilty. Senior- Sergt. Rawle 'said that m May last the licensee became ill and the management of the hotel was granted to his son. On the night of June 6 the son and two boarders indulged m a game of poker, and apparently one of the boarders could do nothing right, because when play ended he had done m £43. He then complained to the police of the loss of a £20 note, and as a result the present proceedings were brought. However, -it was not suggested that the licensee had any knowledge that the men had played, nor that he had any moral responsibility m connection with the gambling. The management of the hotel by the licensee himself was beyond reproach, but all the same he was technically responsible for the act of h,is manager. Mr. Mays said that the incident took place on a race night and he submitted that a complaint of a loss of cash by a man who had been to the races had consumed a deal of liquor and had played poker, might be regarded vsomewhat dubiously. However, the licensee had no knowledge of the incident as ' he was lying ill at the time. His Worship said that the responsibility for the management of the hotel fell upon thfi, licensee, and had to^ be maintained by tho law. In imposing /a fine oC £5 his Worship said that m the. circumstances the • licensee was not morally to ( blame-