ILLEGAL BETTING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23857, 11 July 1939, Page 6

ILLEGAL BETTING

BOOKMAKER CONVICTED SEQUEL TO POLICE RAID FINE OF £l5O IMPOSED When the police, armed with a search warrant, called at the house of Oscar Reginald Cooper at 616 George street on Saturday afternoon they found James David Thomson Pearson in the breakfast -room and evidence that 86 straight-out bets and 46. double bets of a total value of £96 10s had been made on the final day of the Wellington Racing Club's meeting at Trehtham. The result of the call was that Pearson appeared before Mr H. W. Bundle, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday morning charged with carrying on the business of a bookmaker and Cooper on a charge of keeping a common gaming house. Pearson was convicted and fined £l5O and costs (10s) and Cooper £25 and costs (10s). Chief Detective Holmes conducted the prosecution, Mr W. J. Meade appeared for Pearson, and Mr E. J. Anderson for Cooper, both of the defendants pleading guilty. Bets Total £96 10s Chief Detective Holmes said that at 1.30 on Saturday afternoon the premises, at 616 George street' were Visited by the police, and the two accused were found there. Under the authority of a search warrant, the premises were searched and evidence was found that an established betting business was being carried on at the house. The breakfast room had, been converted into an office suitable for betting business. The accused Pearson was standing near the fire, and it was evident that papers had recently been burnt. A detective grabbed out of the fire a day card on the Wellington Racing Club's maeting that day. The fourth race had not been run, but the day card showed that the placlngs of the horses on the first three races had been marked in and the dividends on the first two were shown.

"The search was continued," the chief detective said, "and over the sink in the kitchen a number of betting records was found dealing with horses running at Trentham that day. There were 86 straight-out bets and 46 double bets ranging from 2s 6d to £7. The total of straight-out bets was £73 15s, and the amount of the double bets was £22 15s—£96 10s in all. Pearson readily admitted that the betting material was his and that he was paying Cooper for the use of the room. Cooper said that he was the occupier of the house and that he received payment from Pearson lor the room. He also admitted that he assisted Pearson in taking bets. Cooper has not been before the court previously on any gaming charge, nor, so far as I know, on any other charge. "Pearson is a well-known Dunedin bookmaker," Chief Detective Holmes continued, "and some years ago was regarded as being in a very big way. He has been before the court four times previously, the last gaming offence being in 1934, when he was charged with keeping a common gaming house. Two or three years later he wen&out of the, betting business, but came back to it about 18 months or two years ago. He is not regarded as a big bookmaker, but his list of bets shows that he does a good deal of business, and that is well above the silver betting stage." Return From Retirement Mr Meade admitted that some years •go Pearson was in a big way, but after the conviction in 1934 he gave up business and lived in retirement on his means. A few years ago he was involved in an unfortunate business deal, and lost most of his savings. He was an old man, and as he had a family to keep he thought the only course open to him was to re-enter the bookmaking business. ; His operations wefe nothing like-what they-were onthe previous scale. The bets on the final day of the Wellington meeting showed that his business was not on a big , scale. In connection with the' larger bets mentioned, Mr Meade said he .would like to point out that £5 of the £7 had been laid off by the'defendant; .He was not carrying all the bets himself.

"That is only shrewd bookmaking," the magistrate commented. "It is still bookmaking." . '■■ " That is true." said Mr Meade, " but' It shows the extent of his business." Supplementing Income

Mr Anderson said that Pearson had put the whole matter very frankly. Cooper was not engaged in bookmaking, nor had he any interest in Pearson's business. He received a bad woiind in his foot at Gallipoli, and it had:'never healed. He had had several, unsuccessful operations. When he came back from the war he tried to carry on his retail business in the town, but because of his disability he had to give it up. .His home was central, and when he was asked to let his room he consented to supplement his pension. "I have known Cooper personally since 1920" Mr Anderson said, "and he is: a man of excellent character, and this is the only time that he has been before the court, Hia reputation in business was very good. I would ask that he should be regarded in a different light from that in which the court would regard a straight-out bookmaker." ■■■.''■''' '"'.

"I shall take into consideration the police statement, that Pearson gave up business for two years," said the magistrate, " but the evidence shows that he has been carrying on business on a fairly extensive scale. He will be fined £l5O and costs (10s). Taking into consideration all the circumstances of Cooper's case, he will be fined £25 and costs (10s)."

Mr Meade asked that Pearson should be given time to pay the fine in monthly instalments. "You do not suggest that he will carry on his bookmaking business to pay the fine? " asked the magistrate. " No," Mr Meade replied, " that would be a very doubtful way of doing it." "I find that it is often done, all the same," his Worship added. Both Pearson and Cooper' were given time to pay their fines.