ISOLATED BETS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23202, 28 May 1937, Page 6

ISOLATED BETS

BUSINESS OF BOOKMAKER POLICE CASE FAILS AN INTERESTING JUDGMENT (Per United Press Association) AUCKLAND, May 27. "A man who makes isolated bets is not carrying on the business of a bookmaker, and no evidence has been given pf any business at all," said Mr Wyvern Wilson, S'.M., in the. Police* Court, in dismissing a charge against Harry Syred, insurance agent, aged 66. Syred pleaded not guilty to a charge of carrying on the business of a bookmaker. ,

Constable Urquhart, of Wellington, said he was detailed for duty in Auckland: in April to detect breaches of the Gaming Act. Between April 27 and May 15 he paid numerous visits to the private bar of an hotel to keep the accused under observation and to make a few bets with him.; Many men were seen to approach the accused!, who refused to accept witness's first bet of ss. On another day the accused accepted a 10s.bet from witness, who also took a 5s double on a chart produced by the accused. On May 15 witness wanted to lay a 5s bet with the accused, who refus>ed to take it. !

Detective Brady gave evidence" of. a visit paid.,by him to the hotel on May 15 with a warrant to arrest the accused on a charge of bookmaking. The accused denied the charge ,of bookmaking, and when introduced to Constable Urquhart said he had hot previously seen him. On searching the accused witness found a book, " Best Bets," the results and dividends of four races, a wallet, a quantity of small notepaper, and a note with a number of telephone numbers. Some of the telephone numbers witness identified as those of certain bookmakers. A search'of the accused's flat revealed a double chart in a suit of clothing. The accused denied' that the chart'was his.

Questioned by Mr Wilson conconcerning the significance of the insect printed on the double chart, witness stated that the insect was a code sign of a certain bookmaker, not the accused.

In reply to Mr Noble (counsel for the accused), witness said that similar charts were circulated prior, to race meetings. ;'••'■;■ The evidence of the police stated that Syred had been found in an hotel, commented the magistrate, who pointed out that this was not significant. It was stated that he frequented one end of a room by a fire, which was understandable for a man in weak health. As he was an habitue,of. the hotel, Mr Wilson did not consider it significant that he should be approached by people going to the hotel, and there was nothing sinister in their speaking to him in a place other than the bar. Although it Was suggested that men came to him to make bets, and that he took them aside to record.the bets, there was; nevertheless, no evidence of anyone either overhearing him making bets or having found him recording them. "After several vain endeavours," continued Mr Wilson, "a constable made three bets with Syred, who noted them on a piece of paper. Again the evidence falls short of what one might expect a man conducting the business of. a bookmaker to do, because it is likely that he would have other, bets recorded which could be seen by the constable.

"At the eleventh hour, when the rase was stood down for hearing, an interview took place between Syred and two detectives, in which he said lie was going to plead guilty. He was told the charge against him was a bookmaking charge. It was, however, more than bookmaking. It was a charge of carrying on the business of a bookmaker.

" In the note book found on Syred there is no evidence of betting," added the magistrate. " His possession of the book "Best Bets" shows he is interested in Lorse racing and nothing else. Every man who comes back from a race meeting who has a race book has, on the police evidence, indications that he is interested in bookmaking. There is no evidence to supnort the charge and the information is dismissed."