LICENSEE CONVICTED ON GAMING CHARGE

Southland Times, Issue 23378, 9 December 1937, Page 7

LICENSEE CONVICTED ON GAMING CHARGE

FINE OF £25 IMPOSED (United Press Association) AUCKLAND, December 8. Holding that Fred Murray, the occupier of the Manukau hotel, Onehunga, had used the hotel for some of the purposes referred to in Section 36 of the Gaming Act and that there was evidence of the general business of betting on the premises, Mr C. R. Orr Walker, S.M, in the Magistrate’s Court, convicted and fined him £25 for keeping his premises as a common gaming house. The Magistrate said the evidence showed that more than an odd one or two bets had been taken by the licensee. A plain clothes constable got defendant to accept money for bets on two horses without difficulty and seven days later the same constable paid him money for three bets. The constable saw other men handing money to the defendant and the constable received his winnings from defendant, who took the money from the bar till. The constable’s companion had also paid defendant money for a bet. The Magistrate said the conclusion was that defendant was receiving bets as an agent for a bookmaker and that he left the bar to communicate personally or by telephone with the bookmaker. Sufficient material was found to make, in conjunction with the evidence, a prima facie case against the defendant.