"FOUR FOR SIXPENCE."

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 12581, 11 October 1911, Page 4

" FOUR FOR SIXPENCE."

"HOOP-LA" AND "RING-LEIi"

The charge* against Albert Vance Stewart for an . alleged > breach. ■„ oiabhto Gaming Act, 1908;. byi playing .a game of chance known: as ."H6opflft,'ifvOH?.<;Octobci' -7,> on the : vacant (section, ,in ,fi?orit of' Cliilton's HaU^'.wasotaJjen/iat,)? the Police. Court tbis^inorningi ( . ; Mr -jjurnard appeared for defendant, who pleaded: not.,guilty... ;. ■•:.; ■••. . M- .'.'>■)',>-, Sergeant Hutton stated that on .Saturday last he -visited the: above., jgfcction m G fadstone - road . ; ■ ■-He ; saw »-< . tabled erected about 12 .-feet long anduajjowt fQw^gr five feet, broad,/ oniiwhiclt; .W;ere ; .abg^S§o articles of .various fancy" goods. of, vt^Vial value. • There was-r-.a ■ barrier n-i erected about five feet fvi>m the table; N aoout. 2ft 9in>. high. Defendant,; , and ■an > aapiaiant named> Baker rwere .; inaide the, parrier and had- a number of wooden f rings oh their arms <Bimilai'f t .to.>the< one., produced and; were calling<out MFour for, Sixpence, or nine for a shilling, and a prize t every time."' .•-.•'.! ',->■■ ■ ■:• '•":■.■ - .',».. T -,"Y His Worship: A^great inducement. What were prize*? ,-r • sV: " Witness : -i Studs, vJmtfsical > % boxefl,\.etc. Continuing he rsaidvthe^ talileflwaßKisurrounded by a 'number of -.juverote£«and a few male adults; ' One of tb&flaa£wa3 throwing ;; the 'rings. Wijle calling out, and' the rings rwere 'being, thrown/ defendant was -.gathering upythKuringp thrown. The table- was,- on .an -Jiicline. Witness watched the game.: beiip^vpliyed for ---a ."few .minutes* and yreijt jttp^tfr defendant and; asked .hiflt, >yhftt^h6j'.rtam6 of the game was. . P He^iaaidr '^*la." Witness; > said, "It .is * l^opipTl^, ".''it"-^ an illegal game, and^;youjwill liaYe";to' close dowii." roDefendaht §aid' itj.^as 'not an illegal- game* andr; .witness polM/fed'' out that defendant cquidVcaUjit'aViyif'lll 1 ' he likedpvbut he (>vvtneßs)i,had the vp.ubiic, and . unless,^ he , .closed down witness \Yould:have^o >v .taker.acnon. v Defendant rfollowed . wjfcn&is ' .dMth the street,; and said he. had; paid £&"'rent for the section/ and -asked-r.if he'tfould'play for the -night.- -Witness , that permission.' 'At*' 6.1&' p:m. Detective Mitchell "took a^shillingVworth ofririp, m. order that; they-' might have ocular demonstration of; 4he game. . His 'Worship S Did ■he v draw v a -prize ? — No. ■■"" l7;i r'- ■■- : - vs ' *•" >•■■•'•.<>.' *■■"<«* v , !M,f Burnard: He ; was npts./flkflful enough.. '.■"■ : -'- ; ■■>'•>-■-■■ ;W» : ' k(h "-ftr '■; Witness said'' he- tookt^theh lasj)? lingv and took defendant's name.tig9?lft> articles cm discs were ■• placed) /o^d;hsfj^blß at intervals and those'- 'of .bettercr val^i-were placed' on- '■riietal- /plaitesi,:?^ lit- rffcider to obtain a prize" itVasi necessaryH^o^^w the ring. so ri that 'it ffincir.c^ed^be.ij&rizei. Unless the ringv entirely. Teiieircled? apprize it was not -won: . - iWitness (consideredowing to the angle" 'of -the table, and the lightness aiid:/*ebpund'!of the ring, the chances weje m favor ll of the table almost eveiy timey , and ..that it was a pure r game : 6i . cliaiifce". -The table was :3ftr' r; 6injjhigh. at- the ;back and 2ft 4in atfthe.'front.. ' '.."'•'• ■-. ,-t ■ B# ftlr .'.BurnaM': ' There * were r some articled of better! '#aUieHhari others. ■—, Mr.^uniard : Tbei'^ Vere*;biscuit'barrels ahd>s6r^n7that;^ybo^ would be glad -to on their sidetydai'd-.'' ■'•' >'* "'■*■' « Witness : No. You would • not 1' ke to seethem onryour sideboatd. v The value of-tbe, be'o article Would -be. from 2s 6d and >os. ': .'/TheSe ityere I «>ri discs;.and> would |be ; mncii harder to ' get 'the :ring i^over. The,, diameter of the disc was : about 6^incheit ■'- v ..'. ." . '' ' ■. " ■' '••''' -^ . : .-' . - Mir Burnafdr.lt required great: .skill to!..gefe..the ring over? :- - Witness : No ; T sai^ chatVce; f ' ' . :Mr,.Rurnard. :^ You. bai^ -pji^ed qdoits J . , '.Wjtness ;:. ; In niy,- tim^p I > was consideredVa' .cframpiori. ■ *■'■■'.'■« • .:s. .1 v . His" Worship : -Tliere^ no^V ! ■-*^ «o .{■ ; . -Mr BurnarH: you are the very), man r,Mra.Mj,\ '■.: ;'- : :-- v ■ il .; . ' ■-■■ .> / : Ctfiifcinuiiig; m ;i % eply •toi Mr Burnard, ,\vitness ejJplatn^d''- -.tjiat > m (luestioh Was,, .eritirejy different, td^cfjioits. It was withiA y ib6uffds jof poßßibility that a man, as Vitii bilfiards, jwlthf constant practice would become skilful m throwing tl»e-\'ringr -x i Billiards was A recognised paStiitfe, but "Hoop-la" was not. / . A*,.prQp;rietor v of th'e 1 ' laftei* never stayed sijffibientiy;' long 'to pjeijtiit of, a man. "becoming; skilful.. . Jt ' was ' game to .extract" money froJm;the\ydu!hg and foolish. No "man could ■mak^ j "himself thoroughly skilful at «'Hobp4a/';- ■ ; :^,.Jiir.'Bu.rnai"d':, Do "you say all- men are alikiß'.,iri.''tHe game T^—No. ' • : ) d v . Well, there mtjst*' ; by.la certain amouni of sltillT-^No,. there ; >might : be such a. thing . as fluking:' A jnan ; with '"■& •'■ good eye .and steady I 'hand 1 could haVe A better chance of getting" the 'ring ort than a mail with ; a J ;shaUy hsfnd. l Witness \yould back the' table every time. A : nian ; continually following the game round might attain a certain amount of skill. ■:; - : ,-. .. •••.■■ -• - ■••■;.-- . .Mr . Bui'navd : ; Can you-' suggest any ph ai*m. ) a it ; ftiribcent game ' Ji ke fch is has ? 1 1 is play ted all over; Ne.w^Zealfind.-— -No. ' His Worship : Tha^ does jnbt.l matter, the' question 'i§ ' tho ! game is unlawful." ' ''.'.'.:: ■ '* 'j*- ! .'.-- J '"*'' . '. Witness, ill rejily 1 to 'Mr; Bttrhardf said a cony'idtjon had :fecfentljt'b.een : ••■entered m cojinection\vith-a 'Wifrii'lar' tease 1 i(Hayes v. • Busk) ; awd i tlie! • Deparfeieht ••Ifj&i instiuct^djth^n it was'^kW illegal ftahie. ' 'Hfis. WorShii) said in th&case Hayes v. Biii-k the article weW placed* 1 uhd«r a glass, and : the lyings ; had t6; encircle a .number* oil the glass^iabdve^th.e v articles. .Mr i Burnai;d pointed" .out •. tliat' that .was'^diff 6^"* 1 to" the present -caseN In ;that v .cas:e it was held^that thferef'Was no skill . becaitse i.'the; ririg^ : Myere' i^iabile to slide; «m this.c ase the: 1 rinjy; ol*oTb> over jthe^artible»-cj)ul& ; "'riptl;inoHr*iß:; i :Y' 4 "'■'■". The witness : Yes,- but^T say it has a rebound.' ■ v * ••/ ;>,* '•■'.■• .• petectiye. Mitchell corroborated; Ser-geant.-Huttbtt's'eyidence. added that h'e> had -liad 'a^deisl-tof ; practice 1 -vato* Dunedin t and. various rshoAV^rbtffids attd he had 'not 1 gained .•aii^'iskill; thrpuglj that pralctibe. On showgi'b'ujids ..at Dunedin Jie f.'had. /Stopped l tlie' game • beini^'^layed on; account of it beitigfa^gaihe of chance, bnej side \oS tlie »nig"liad ; a lai'gar 3 circumferericQ; than the •otHer l - < sidei-^>'T^i'© barrier, iti 'f^bnt of the table* pretfdhted a making a lo^ thr6\^>attd' from .getting . % good ' svi J tng. ', .■ • ■Wftew ' he was .playing last ' B&turdWy ;lle^'e?i>cloße'd ccr r tain articles; hut pwJngtotUie rebound /resulting:; f lohr th^' iftjgteA of 'the ' table and' iite lightness 1 of^'stltt* ring, iihe ! hoop bounced off. >< -j« ' . - v>m^ Mr BuMiard : Would not & 'little more practice 1 iena'ble', your s 'rihß v t6 , Stay. there ? — :Not all the" p)*acti6e tj ih^ie hybrid. . Yj>u 6n)y 'practised 1 at M')\t*rvals?— -No, I Was cdnatantljl- aitiVifor'tivoi'tobnths ; it cost me £2 Or more.vTlieie '^.ore no otljer '^aihes • like, this.i^unless It w<)uid be a'dYa^iiageou&^to' tlft*6\v low, for 4 , a .^ierson coU)|i' ; get 'ihe anglevof the table better. .'\Wibhess had •se^K a' man get tAvo or tiirete^prize'sv-and^the proprietor had told him,W» fi go^aHvay.' ; : \Mr* Burnard XT««> becauise he 1 was too ski If M^No,^ simply-' *ikick. ' -•' "f $ergfeaiit; Huttfen.:) Silpposing, there >was any. iir it, wliat^'are the chances m tlid'^nte?' •<■■ "•■•/ ' i>-' { 'M<* -,'• Witness.-: 3GO to 1 ;against'the«thrower aiid : aii favor of ;«'- --i Mi". Buriiard i Tlierais; ah element of chance 'in 'all'-ganilßSj- ■ ; :'-... WitTiesS^^am&iiono;; , M,i«:;ltyirnard :f Can Vyoit,, name a. game in' Svlii'ch ""there ,fs hot r ari element of .qhance ;. it's that element that makes the games' is ;it.jijot?^-S6metime6. '■■<■■> ; .Mr .Burnard .•submitted' y theVe was no case' against ' defendant, - Ptocee'^ing to describe the ' :game", m c('uesti6ij'cbunsel poised .put' that .there rwesre flukes m all V games. : Bescausey th^i'e was i 1 ' l in . elertent'of chance m a .game 'it did^pot make it. a game of chance. Therft'nlbst be. A, way to put the \ ring, over v the article-', to.' enable it- to stay th,ereC .Referring to ;the. case of ., Hayes lahdißurk, ¥ r i;K ur^ a^ d ' ««VJ d c slippery' 'hftture of the, glass m th^t. case did away' w-ith the necessity ;of- "skill, Avhereas ii\ ;the pro., sent "case skill AVas reqjiiired>,to\. gist . the ring aV«r tKe- article. r.,;;C6unael' |)iocee4<j(l to;, i^t'er toi, the v liaiirii]essijess;,of the grttne, ■ '.had. provided ifra'nv "people with aniusem'eiit at shows arid other ;ruiVfc^io4.i:; -, \, - ' ; ; '' . ;': T ' ". .• De^dshit. gave eyld^nee that he had been gl&yiiiK the gartie. for :ttou years. \ ; Jlu , oU,giime. fle : had\pJwed;it &&/*} W ? ll »#bn;in ..Wdlh's , , H /f yp^p « Sliptesing tliei^aine luid cii i^i^ ,9)#fNe^Zeal« w£ ; has : that-to do tvi.th the queiS^h as to whethei' or. not it is an 'Mr^Bumard rl think^f wiK „„- (lortnUius a great- responsibility m de-i-lamig Jllo«al a ? mne that is recognisod ni other parts of New Zealand. Jiis Worship: I cannot help, what u*S

recognised elsewhere j I have to decide ill is case. Mv Buma-rd; Is it a game of chance? Witness :;sfoy absolutely a game of skill; His Worship : Oh, yes, that is where you and. the police differ! Witness : It would not do if we were aJl^of the same mind. Continuing, he said that he had not practised a great deals but could enclose four articles out of nine rings. On Saturday he lost -a gross -of tooth paste. There were -others better than he was. , His Worship : It would not do for many to be better than you. Witness said it was one of the most j^kilful of games. . ... . . % Sergeant r Hutton : Witness paid ■536 rent for the month. Are not the chances m favor of the table? — Of course, or they would not be 1"". A man would not run a table at a loss. The angle was put to the table to give the thrower a better chance. Afe this stage Sergeant Hutton gave a demonstration •- on a table, which was AVatched -with, much interest,' as to how 'the ring rebounded, and witness declared he was not a fskilful plaiyier, Witness, hr reply to Sergeant Huttou, S{ "lj^ Mas a s kilhd g»*ne and practise mart* perfect as m. any other game, and tiiery had to pay for practice. Charles Baker, showman, m defendant s employ, gave similar, evidence. He addedHhAt; aftteiva time some of the players? got intovthe way of throwing tlie hoops, and they got too good, so they had to be barred from plavmc. He «««' a skilful player. ; * By Sergeant Hutton : He had been Jollowmg the, game, for three years. • Sergeant Hutton : How long have you been playing hoop-la?— Two months* Detective Mitchell practised for three .months, and did not become skilful. — Witness : .Some „ take longer to learn tJhin others. - •Sergeant Hutton then invited witness to, have a try with the ring. He did so. liut with two attempts he failed to get an article. ' v Mr Buvnai'd. said tjtey . were prepared t<>,rf?ive/a proper demonstration, and m vi led/ "his Worship to witness it. The Magistrate said he would do so. . OTHER CHAKGES. Chaises Baker was then charged with a- similar offence, and it; was agreed to admit the same evidence as taken m the former case. f .*■•■■'■ ' Defendant Baker pleaded not guilty 't< » ■ a , fu vther . charge -.. of •; playing' ' 'King' to another^ game of chance, • *•■-: * > \ ttelective Mitchell stated that the 3j«.*Vie . was known. as ; . "Ring-lee," ov ""Uing-a-let." It- cdnsisted of a stand, ?a cloth, and rings. The cloth contained ; 35^Ue&>>eir-ivarious colors, and 'figures representing money painted on the discs. :Ittn«mgjifikjmwi6d to~£fl.— "TlYetV'vftre' aM> six polished metal rings. The mode wt working was to stand a certain distance, generally five feet, from the table. The ■ rings were generally sold three for 6d,' or six for Ifc. The- player threw the ring on to the cloth, and should he com-plet-ely encircle any disc, he was entitled to the amount painted on that . disc, but was only entitled to that amount at lhe.i;finish,. of his throwing, " the object of^tliaty being that, -he' might- knock the ring" out of place with the. other throws. The chances were m favor of the table. Another thing done by some proprietors ■was to oil the ■ cloth and ■ put a surface on it. The cloth produced appeared to be treated m a similar manner, because the paint on the cloth appeared -to- be worn by the rubbing on of oil. It was purely a,, game of chance. He had seen it p)ayedf> all"; over '• New Zealand; and it was tpyrelyji a game. had stopped the game, and m several cases broken the table. It was a recognised fact amongst the .detectives that the game should be stopped. Sergeant Hutton stated that at 9.30 p.m. last Saturday, onfthe:.same section a»> m the former cases, he saw defendant playing the present game behind the "hoop-la" table. There were a number txf < boys vand adults afourtd: the table, and one man was throwing. Witness seized the table, cover, and rings. He considered it was a game of chance. The man* Tie saw throwing was about 3ft. from the table. From his observation and practical demonstration, he considered, from the slippiness of the Tings and j oilcloth, the chances were m favor of the. table . to a greater extent than "hoop-la." <v 3&" -Burnard : You have not practised •under JAiiskilled tutor? • Witness:- As. a. quoit player, I ought to be able to see these things. Mr Burnard- intimated ; that he* proposed to call evidence, and then to get defendant to show that the game was one of skill, •■•• ; AJbert; Yanec -Stewart, -showman, stated' that to play the game a person stood aboutM,wo feet from . the table— just, so he could touch the numbers. He; must throw the xlng ':on, but not place if. If he got the ring over half the disc he was allowed to knock it right on if he could. Without a doubt it waa a game of skill. Defendant, was then called on to give a dontontitration. ,■< ' Witness :r.T;hc. "only thing is the cloth is not oiled ; it is dry. His Worship : That is more m favor of the<;p'lav«r: o.i . Witness: -It would be. to a new chum, but not *o a playeir used to the usual conditions. . - •■»;■• His Worship : I hope there is nobody present t takuo,-? cinematograph pictures, as I don't want to be shown to be playing the game. : The cloth was then oiled, and defendant grtve A demonstration, which was watcl led * with -tmuch interest. ' ' He has gottv^s 6d;'| 'witness. •Sergeant Hutton : The ring touches ; they .won't pay out on that. Defendant tried again, and got Nothing... W}th, the third attempt he got 3s, but Sergeant Hutton disputed it. Defendant made a fourth attempt, but got nothing .. By ..'Sergeant HutUm : -Witness said iVjc toiling of the table; wai m favor of the" player. The discs with, the bigger amounts- \yere /larger than- the smaller sums. Defendant was not an expert at the game. -The proprietor did not decide whether a ring covers a disc. The ■fHiblie , were usually Yenyfarriy and -did :»iot say a ring ivaa on when it was not. ' His Worship ,» said lie would reserve judgment until he had seen the demonstration ofr hoop-la/ which was given at 2.30 this affcirraooTP. -"■•'-: