THE GAMING ACT.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXIX, Issue 127, 21 July 1911, Page 6

THE GAMING ACT.

tPer Press Association) / Walington, July 21. A case of importance to proprietors of bifliard rooms avc.s decided by the full. Court to-day. John Jackson, of Auckland, appealed agan.si his conviction for keeping a common gaming house. The case was Jieard by the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout), and Justices Williams, I hmnuton, Edwards am! Chapman. It was admitted that the garm's .played were ordinary English billiards and all vur-

icties of the game, 'll being gum™ Avhsro skill was combined with a limit of chance of varying degree. Eir Joshua Williams, in l.is .udgnicnfc, said he thought there " odd i e no doubt that the term “gaming house” as used in the statute meant 'pi ima faci a gaming house which would have been indictable as a common law nuisance. Ho- was of opinion that the games played on the premises were not only not unlawful games but games which were expressly recognised as lawful. The practice of playing in that way in licensed billiard rooms had been carried on for many years without objection, and there was nothing very much fi om which it could bo inferred that playing in that way had during those years or is now detrimental to public morals. Justices Denniston, Edwards, and Chapman agreed. Tho Chief Justice dissented. The conviction t was quashed.

In Scott v. Jackson, heard at the last Appeal Court, the appeal was allowed and the conviction quashed. By this decision the Court lays down that “snooker” and other pool games, though containing an element of chance, are mainly games ol skill, and not games of chance in the meaning of the Gaming Act.