RAID ON A HAZARD SCHOOL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2691, 11 October 1905, Page 27

RAID ON A HAZARD SCHOOL.

FORTY-SIX PERSONS ARRESTED. WELLINGTON, October 5.

For many months the police have suspected that a hazard school was being carried on in a gymnasium in this city, and last night, at 11.30, they raided the place, and arrest-ad 46 persons. Some 42 of these this morning pleaded guilty to being on premises kept as a common gaming-house, and were each fined £3.

John Fuller and Richard Eager, charged with keeping the gaming-house, pleaded not guilty. The hearing of this case was adjourned.

The premises were paid to have been safeguarded from raid by an elaborate, system of alarms, but the police overcame these, and arrested all o{ those who were present.

October 9.

John Fullin and William Eager, alias Oxenham, keepers of the gaming house raided by the police on Thursday night, were before the Stipendiary Magistrate on Monday, and pleaded guilty. The chief detective aiid that for the last 12 months games had been played behind barred doors, and as play lasted until 3 or 4 o'clock each morning, about £20 must have been taken by defendants every night in fees. Each defendant was fined £25 with costs. The intimated thaff if they were again convicted the fine would be £100. Henry Thomas and Robert Haynes were fined £5 for having been found on the premises.

(From Otjb Own Coebesfondent.)

WELLINGTON, October 5.

The police have had suspicions for some months in regard to the premises raided, but an elaborate system of alarms has hitherto defied all efforts at detection. The Post's account of the incident states that the watch kept upon the premises by the police established the fact that men in large numbers, and of practically every classy frequented the place, but the sight of the guardians of the peace in close touch with the premises acted as a deterrent on the more reputable of the frequenters, and for a while there was a falling off in the attendance that seemed likely to make the " school " cease its sittings through lack of. sufficient support. Gradually, however, the fever resumed sway, and in late months, according to the police, there have been large musters nightly, ranging from 40 to 70 people, while on special occasions (such as race nights) as many as 150 men have been seen in the rooms. This .week it was resolved by the police to match cunning with cunning. Arrangements of a complete nature were made by Inspector Ellison, and between 11 o'clock last night and early morning a considerable number of police were in waiting at comenient spote around the building. At about 11.30 p.m. there were a-bout 50 occupants of the place, and when the detectives went up the Avinding staircase and demanded admittance there was a scurrying and a flurrying amongst the denizens. A dice box was tossed through the window, three were thrown on the floor, and perturbation was displayed by a great many of the less-hardened gamblers. One got out on the roof, and at the peril of his life descended in the darkness by means of water pipes and fir« escapes. Ho reached the ground in safety, and there he was taken into safe custody by a constable just as he thought liberty was assured. The doors of the establishment were opened after a little demur. The majority of the gamblers took their trouble philosophically, and made no physical objection to arrest. In all, there were 46 arrests made, inclusive of two men who are reputed to be proprietors of the establishment. The men arrested range in years from youth to middle age, and in avocations from coal lumpers to clerks, and "no avocation.*' Some of the youths do not look more than 18 or 19 years of age, and they apparently belong to the tradesmen class. Tall men. short men, fat men, and thin, robust, and physically weak are all represented, but there is not an aged man in the 46.

A gentlemen who some time ago offered to give pound for pound to ■extinguish the debt of £300 on the Ashburton Baptist Tabernacle has now offered to lend the whole amount without charging intci'est, his original offer still holding good*