LAYING TOTALISATOR ODDS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2674, 14 June 1905, Page 53

LAYING TOTALISATOR ODDS.

AUCKLAND, June 12,

At the Police Court this morning Matthew Ba-rnett and Peter Grant, bookmakers, of Cbristchurch, were charged with making bets dependent on "tote" odds. M. H. Quick d^pcsed to making bets with the defendants by telegraph, and receiving from the defendants a. cheque for £162 16s. Counsel for the defendants objected to the witness stating on what basis the bets were made unless' of his own persona/1 knowledge. He further submitted that the evidence had not connected the defendants with Bamett and Grant, to whom the telegrams were *6ent, while tlie telegrams in each case, though timed earlier, -were not forwarded until some time after the laces were run. in which case, he submitted, there could hare bean no arrangement. In reply, it was pointed out that "the defendants ratified the bets by Bending cheques. Magistrate Kettle said ho wanted authority on the proposition that a telegraph office official was an agent to accept a bet or make a contract. The law £>lso required that a, bet should bo made before the race. This afternoon Barnett and Grant were convicted by Mr C. C. Kettle, S.M., on two chaiges of having illegally laid lotalisaKn: odd's. Mr Reed, for the defendants, explained how the proceedings were first set in motion. He said that his clients had reported and given information to the telegraph authorities that tele-grams making bets were being sent olter the races wei'e run. It had been understood by his clients that any information given \,y them would not be used against them. His clients had then been proceeded against on this charge. The matter of inflicting a penalty was deferred till to-morrow.