TOTALISATOR ODDS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19258, 23 August 1924, Page 3

TOTALISATOR ODDS.

THREE CHARGES DISMISSED. CHARGE OE BOOK MAKING WITHDRAWN. Theodore Allen was charged at the City Police Court, before Mr xl. . Bundle, y.AI., yesterday morning, with having, about April 21, carried on the business or occupation of a bookmaker. Chief-detective Lewis represented the police, and Mr IV. G. Hay appeared for defendant. Mr Hay stated that there were ottier charges, which he suggested should be taken together. These wore of betting at totalisator odds. Allen was then charged with having, on April 19, made a bet with ’‘books ’ on the result of a horse race, whereby ho agreed to pay a sum of money, the amount of which was dependent on the result of the working of the totalisator. Ho was similarly charged with making a bet with “Joe” on the same date, and with making a bet with “Bill” on April 21. M;r Hay said defendant pleaded not guilty to all the charges. Detective Lean stated that on June 4 ho was in the Metropolitan Hotel, and met defendant coming out. When defendant saw him he wont back into the hotel. Witness intercepted defendant, and accused him of betting in the hotel. _ He replied that he had not done any betting that clay. Witness asked him if lie had any books in his possession, and ho produced a book, which ho handed over to witness, saying it was an old book. Ho said ho did not object to bo searched, and witness found five race cards in his possession. These cards referred to the Otaki meeting. Ho also found a card on which were the names of three horses that had run at the Dunedin .Taokov Club’s race meeting on June 5. When "witness found the books defendant said he had been bookmaking. Mr Hay objected, contending that the charge was with betting at totalisator odds. Witness, continuing, said that defendant stated ho had given up betting a week or eight days before. On pages 47, 49, and 61 of the book were the following entries 10s Ravenna, by “Joe,” paid for Ws, 8s 6d; 10s Cornflower, by “Books, paid over £1; 20s Hurdy Gurdy, Bui, £4 8s The total amount naid us shown in the book was £7OO 2s 6d. The names of the horses were all horses that had been run from April 2 to April 5. To Mr Hay: A statement was made by defendant later that the book did not belong to him. Witness had been advised by an export that the handwriting in the book was not the handwriting of defendant. George William Wilhelmson, totalisator clerk, said he was at the Lawrence race meeting on Auril 19. He was making out the dividends. Cornflower ran in the Trail Plate, and paid a dividend of £2 for £l. Percy Beaumont, totalisator clerk, said he was at the races at Riverton on April 19 and 21. Ho was first pay out clerk, Ravenna came second in the Aparima Handicap and paid 15s 6d for £l. Hurdy Gurdy ran in tbo Wallace Handicap, which was won by Boughleen Dhoun, but the horse was disqualified, and Hurdy Gurdy was placed first, and paid £4 9s for £l. Detective Sneddon corroborated the evidence of Detective Lean. Mr Hay said it was obvious one. if not all the charges of betting totalisator odds must break down. The odds were 17s 6d in the pound, and what was paid was 8s fid. The actual position was that the book did not belong to defendant. The police had compared the entries, and the entries were not defendant's. Probably defendant had been doing something in the way of betting, and probably some of tbe bets would show totalisator odds, but it had to be shown that defendant in these cases had been betting at totalisator odds. He (Mr Hav) would call an expert who would say that the handwriting was not the handwriting of the accused. John Challis, head ledgerkeeper in the Bank of Now Zealand, said he had had very considerable experience in connection with handwriting. At the request of the police he had examined the writing in the hook in tho possession of the defendant ano' that in a memorandum written by the de fendant later on. In witness’s opinion the writings wero quite different, and did not appear to agree in any letters of the alphabet. After reviewing the evidence, his Worship said the evidence was insufficient to show that tho entries in the book or the bets were made by the defendant. The charges would bo dismissed. 7. he defendant was then charge cl with having, on or about April 21, carried on the business of a bookmaker. Mr Hay said the defendant elected to be tried by iury. Chief-detective Lewis stated that in view of the decision in the previous cases he, would ask leave to withdraw tho charge. Tho evidence would bo practically that contained in the book with some little additions which might show, or raise a suspicion, that tho defendant was a bookmaker. , . His Worship agreed to the withdrawal of the charge.