BOOKMAKING CHARGES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22098, 31 October 1933, Page 10

BOOKMAKING CHARGES

BETTING ON HOTEL PREMISES PINES OP £IOO IMPOSED. (Peb United Pbess Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, October 30. ' Pour men convicted of offences connected with bookmaking were to-day fined amounts totalling £IOO by Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M. The accused were caught red-handed on Saturday, when plain clothes constables and detectives made the arrests. The fines were as follows: Maurice George Marton (68 years), described as a bookmaker, £2O; William Joseph Brosnahan (39), a butcher, £2O; John Harris Prisk (30), a motor driver, £2O. Hugh Herlihy (43), a barman, was charged with using the public bar of the United Service Hotel as a common gaming house, and was fined £4O. Morton and Herlihy were arrested in the bar of the United Service Hotel, and the others at a whippet meeting at Busjiey Park. * The magistrate said he was surprised that such a business should have been carried on in one of the leading hotels. He felt sure that the Licensing Committee would have something to say about it. A third man arrested at Bushey Park was remanded.

The chief detective said that plain clothes men made bets in the hotel, and betting material was found when the bar was searched. Referring to the other cases, he said complaints had been received about the amount of betting on whippet meetings, principally in a small way. Two plain clothes constables who went to the meeting had bets. The magistrate said that from what he had heard, the betting on whippet races was carried on in a small way, but it was pernicious all the same.