MEMBERS ONLY

NZ Truth, Issue 1128, 14 July 1927, Page 5

MEMBERS ONLY

« _ *-. : Session at Pastime v Gymnasium (From "N.Z. "Truth's" Special Auckland Rep.) . As a pedagogue of physical culture and recreational pastime, Frederick William Batchelor, assisted by .David Simon, had a most unique curriculum of training. VET so popular did .his reputation * for gymnastics become that it evoked the interest of the police, who, after a. vigilance of two months, decided to become members-^of a kind. So anxious were they to become acquainted with the Batchelor syllabus that they "rushed"' the place on the night of June 11. The police evidently do not agree with Batchelor's . idea of dumbbell exercise, especially when the dumb-bells take the shape of dice, and other muscular training amounts only to a finger practice with a pack of cards. >It is generally acknowledged that gambling has not a very elevating effect, upon, the community. ' But the police visit revealed that it took 30 odd Auckland citizens to a fair altitude on the evening m question and resulted m their being charged at the police court with being found on the "premises of a common gaming-house. The "more serious offence of conducting the gaming-house was pre^ ferred against Batchelor and Simon. The net result to the Crown amounted to over £180. All the accused pleaded guilty but two, who later appeared before Magistrate McKean. . Evidently Chief Detective Cummings had been having -a little practice, with . '■.. the dice while m his .possession, for it ' was no effort for him to ' "throw a ■ seven" with his first; attempt, when illustrating to one of the; accused. Only one of the accused managed to convince . the bench that he was really on the premises for, the purpose of making arrangements with Batchelor for a course of physical training.