PRISON, NOT FINES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17532, 29 July 1931, Page 11

PRISON, NOT FINES

TO STOP BOOKMAKING .CHIEF JUSTICE’S VIEW PRACTICE MORE RIFE THAN EVER Some trenchant remarks were made by the Chief Justice, Sir Michael Myers, at the opening of the criminal sessions at the. Supreme Court in Wellington on Monday concerning the practice of bookmaking, which lie said was more rife than ever in New Zealand, and would only be put down by imprisonment ill place of lines, which, were practically a license foe. His Honor was addressing the grand

jury, and referred to the case of two men charged with conspiracy with intent to defraud. Racing was taking place in Auckland, and in one event two horses named High Pitch and Singleton wore engaged. Certain telegrams were handed m at To Aro addressed to bookmakers in which the name of the horse Singleton appeared. There was some delay in the transmission, and when the telegram was handed out the name of Singleton had been erased and High Pitch substituted. It would seem that accused had a confederate in the Post Office, or was given an opportunity of making the alteration. ENTITLED TO PROTECTION “Carrying on the business of bookmaker is against the law,” continued His Honor. “The- fact, however, that bookmaking is carried on does not make a man an outlaw so far as the protection of the law is concerned. Even though carrying on an illegal occupation lie is entitled to protection from persons who are seeking to defraud him.” It. was a little disturbing that bookmaking was so rife in New Zealand. He knew quite well that there was, and always would be, a certain amount of vice in human nature which perhaps it would be unwise to unduly attempt to prohibit-, but with that aspect he was

not concerned. It must, however, give cause for concern to the public when they saw that, although an Act was passed in 1920 niaking the carrying on of bookuiaking a crime, bookntaking was more rife than ever in this country'. CAN BE STOP RED

“You will wonder what all this is icayliug to,” went on the Chief Justice. “It is said you cannot stop bookmaking. 1 dispute that. 1 say you can stop the bookmaker, but you cannot stop him. by imposing lines upon the mere agent who may be prosecuted before a magistrate. The imposition of a fine in that way is merely ordering the prisoner who is brought before the court to pay a license fee. There is one way in which book-

making may he stopped, and about a year ago, L took the responsibility of giving a lead.” His Honor told the grand, jury that a prisoner so charged had come before him and had been sentenced to imprisonment for a term of nine months.

There was only one way' to stop bookmaking, proceeded the Chief Justice. When men who were only the agents oi

those who were working in a big way were brought- before the, court, the. magistrates had it- in their power to send them to prison without the option of a line, and if that were put into practice bookmaking in New Zealand would cease, before long.