FAILED TO AGREE

Southland Times, Issue 19546, 9 May 1925, Page 7

FAILED TO AGREE

BOOKMAKING CHARGES. NEW LAW PROPOUNDED, INTERESTING AUCKLAND CASES. (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, May 8. The Jury, after four hours’ retirement tonight, failed to agree in the Supreme Court trial of George Francis Shaw, for alleged bookmaking at Whangarei. The Crown Prosecutor said the allegation against accused was that while at Whangarei he was observed by police officers frequenting hotels frequently with groups of men around him. He had also been about the streets with other men and on certain race days was observed to be particularly busy. On February 7 accused was approached by Constable Besley who said to him: “Are you doing anything on the Te Kuiti races?” Accused answered “Yes, and also on Gisborne.” Those words, submitted counsel, were indications thpt accused was bookmaking and by volunteering something on Gisborne races he was holding himself out as ready to make bets. The constable made one bet. with accused and gave a £5 note for which he received £4 change. Accused said “there are no police about, are there?” Later the police constable obtained a warrant and arrested accused, finning in his possession £49 Ils. The Judge, in summing up, said a case of this kind was one of some considerable importance. The law had recently been altered so that a man carrying on the business of the bookmaker might be brought before the Court and punished if the only evidence against the man was that of an accomplice. It was the duty of the Bench to warn the Jury that it was unsafe to convict on such evidence, but the principal evidence in these cases was that of men who had made bets with the accused in person. There- were records of a number of beta and finally there was that of the police officer. That was the strongest corroboration. The Jury also failed to agree in another bookmaking charge against a Dalmatian in connection with the Katakohe races.