KEEPING A GAMING HOUSE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2104, 21 June 1894, Page 34

KEEPING A GAMING HOUSE.

Wellington, June 19.

In the Magistrate's Court to-day the charge against bhe young man Joseph Burke of keeping a common gaming house in Upper Willifl street was heard, Messrs J. O. Martin, S.M., and F. H. Pickering, J.P., being on the bench. The case lasted the whole of the day. The evidence of the police, who raided the premises, went to show bhab "hazard" was being played on the night in question, and several pairs of dice and two " crooked " ones were picked up on the floor after the room was clear. Accused in his evidence emphatically denied that any "hazard" was played on thab night, billiards haviDg been in full swing the whole evening. He could not accounb for the dice found on the floor. Burke' a statement was corroborated by the 13 men arrested on the premises, all of whom gave evidence for the defence. The bench retired to consider their decision, and on their return the S.M. said the bench were of opinion accused was guilty, and they would accordingly convict. Counsel for accused contended that the court must deal with this as a first offence. If gambling had been carried on there it had been by men of full age, and not by young fellows who did not understand what they were engaged in. Mr Martin, S.M., said this wag a most serious offence. This gambling was a curee that was undermining the whole community. Small boys oame before him who had put their half crowns together to bet on the races, and the curse seemed to run through the whole community here. At the present time, while the place was groaning under bhe cry of bhe unemployed and the difficulty of gebbing work, they had a number of working men who stayed for hours in this gambling shop from 11 o'clock on Saturday night till 1 o'clock on Sunday morning. The bench were going to make it very uncomfortable for the keepers of these places, in order that they might be cleared out of Wellington. Accused would be sentenced to three months' imprisonment with hard labour. Mr Skerrett applied for leave to appeal on the facts, and asked his Worship to fix sureties. The case was adjourned till to-day for the purpose of allowing Burke time to find security to proceed with the appeal. Bail was fixed at bwo sureties of £100 each. The cases against the other 13 men, of being on the premises, were adjourned for week.