CHARGE OF BOOKMAKING.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19407, 17 February 1925, Page 8

CHARGE OF BOOKMAKING.

AN INVERCARGILL CASE. FINE OF £250 IMPOSED. \ (From Our Own Correspondent.) 1 INVERCARGILL, February 16. At yesterday’s sitting of the Invercargill Magistrate’s Court, before Mr Geo. Cruickshank, S.M., William Saw.ers was charged with using certain premises as a common gaming house, and with carrying on business as a bookmaker. Defendant, who was represented by Mr Eustace Rus'sell, pleaded guilty, and elected to be dealt with summarily. Detective-sergeant Carroll said that since his previous conviction 15 months ago defendant had apparently done nothing but bookmaking. The detective said that defendant was arrested on February 12, Dunedin Cup Day. When the police arrived he had the telephone receiver to his ear. Betting papers were found in the room which contained records of 404 transactions, including 61 doubles. All the transactions appeared to bo at totalisator odds, and the entered receipts for the day amounted to £539 10s. After the accused had been arrested the police took over the receiver and recorded £SO worth of bets. Many people had however, recognised that the voice was not that of accused, and did not record bets. Defendant’s profits for the day, if he had been left undisturbed, would have amounted to about £3OO. . The police asked that the maximum tine be inflicted, as accused was not the chief man in the business. Although a term of imprisonment would punish the defendant personally a heavy fine would hit the others as well. 'The defendant had been very straightforward with the police about the whole matter. For the defence Mr Russell said that although a tremendous amount of betting had been disclosed, it was on a day when n bookmaker in Invercargrl! could hope to do a big business and make up for past losses. The police seemed to make a scapegoat of the defendant, as it was common knowledge that others were engaged. The defendant was prepared to abandon the Kookmaking business for good, both he and his wife being sick of it. A fine of £250 was imposed on the charge of carrying on business as a bookmaker, and on the other charge defendant was ordered to come «n for sentence if called on in 12 months. He was given a fortnight in which to pay.