“TWO-UP” SCHOOL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25802, 24 March 1945, Page 8

“TWO-UP” SCHOOL

SEQUEL TO RAID

PRISON TERMS IMPOSED (P.A.) AUCKLAND, Mar. 23. As the sequel to a police raid on a gaming school last night, when 18 arrests were made, William Edward Hart, aged 44, a clerk, was charged before Mr J. H. Luxford, S.M., in the Police court this morning with using the premises occupied by him in Albert street as a common gaming house, and Cyril Michael Poole, aged 42, a wharf labourer, was charged with assisting in the management of the house. Both pleaded guilty. The police stated that when the raid was made a big game of two-up was in progress. Such gaming schools seemed to be springing up all over the city. For the accused, Mr Terry said there was no evidence of any social evil involved. ' The magistrate expressed surprise at counsel’s suggestion that the offence was just part of the public’s gambling habits, and that it was no more harmful than art unions and the totalisator. "If this class of offence is left unchecked it will assume serious proportions,” he said. “ There have been a number of cases recently, and future offenders, whether first or second, will receive salutary punishment. The time for fines has passed.” Each man was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment, with hard labour. Of the other men arrested, those with previous convictions and those who did not appear were fined £5 in default 10 days’ imprisonment, while first offenders in court were fined £3. or one week.