GAMING OFFENCES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25736, 6 January 1945, Page 4

GAMING OFFENCES

FINES FOR BOOKMAKING TOTAL OF £11,780 LAST YEAR (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 5. Fines totalling £12,310 were imposed during 1944 for breaches of the Gaming Act, and of this sum £11,780 represented penalties for bookmaking. The police activity in the matter was well distributed, hardly any town large enough to warrant the maintenance of a bookmaker or agent not receiving attention. In all, 243 persons were convicted and fined for bookmaking, or conducting, using, or assisting in managing common gaming houses. In addition, two were admitted to probation, two were sent, to prison, two were acquitted, one was placed on a surety of good behaviour, one was convicted to be called up for sentence, and one was convicted for exhibiting a doubles chart. Six persons were fined for betting with bookmakers. For being found in common gaming houses 169 persons were fined amounts ranging from £1 to £5. The fines exceeded £2OOO in January, -August, September, and December. The monthly "revenue” was more than £IOOO. One operator was fined £250. one £2OO, two £l5O, 30 £IOO, one £BO, 14 £75, one £7O, 10 £6O, and 62 £SO.

Wellington headed the list of major gaming prosecutions with 61, and Auckland was next with 53. The figures for other places were: Christchurch 34 Wanganui 12, Palmerston North, Wliangarei, and Paeroa each 7, Patea and Dunedin each 6, Dannevirke and Napier each 5, New Plymouth, Gore, and Otahuhu each 4. There were six towns with three prosecutions, seven with two, and thirteen with one. For persons merely ‘‘found on common gaming houses,” Auckland headed the list with 121, and Wellington was next with 36.