CAUGHT IN THE ACT.

Taranaki Daily News, 14 June 1923, Page 7

CAUGHT IN THE ACT.

PLAYING ILLEGAL GAMES. 37 CHINESE ARRESTED. It is 11 months since the Auckland police made a raid on Chinese premises in Hobson Street, with the result that a number of Orientals were prosecuted for being in a common gaming house; the police (as reported in our telegraph -news recently) made another raid on 'Sunday night, the house visited being •situated in Lome Street. About 15 detectives and constables in plain clothes quietly surrounded No. 57, Lome Street, at. 8.30 o’clock. SeniorDetective Cummings had charge of the raiding party, and everything was carried out as planned, without any hitch. Detective Meiklejohn and Constable Doel had been keeping the premises under close observation for some time, and just prior to the raid it was known that a large number of Chinese had assembled in the house on the corner of Rutland and Lome Streets.

A trap-door in the gates of the main entrance was forced, and Senior Detective Cummings led his men to the k-t--chen entrance, on the ground floor. Possible avenues of escape were left under the charge of alert constables, and the kitchen door was thrown open, to surprise three domesticated Chinamen, who v»ere too preoccupied with pot and pan to hear the officers make their entry into the yard. Without more ado the cooks were placed under a guard, and Senior Detective Cummings was followed by the remainder of the party up a narrow, evil-smelling stairway. Arriving at the top, they burst into a large room, where 34 Chinese were scattered about in little groups, and they appeared to have been surprised in the act. of playing Oriental gambling games. The majority of the Celestials, realising that they were trapped, took the advent of the police philosophically. One man became excited, however, and with a yell of terror he ran to a wino.ow, escaped the clutching hand of a detective who souglit to detain him, and in a flash had disappeared. He landed with a thud, about 14ft. below, and ricked his ankle. Looking around, he was very surprised to find a tall constable standing over him—his jump had been for nothing. Another Chinaman also conceived the idea of escape per medium of the window, but the Detectives were too quick for him, and he was spared the trouble. The detectives set about collecting the paraphernalia which lay about the room, on blankets. A large quantity of quaint Oriental material was packed up by the raiding party, haing gow equipment, ma chuck cards, fan-tan cup' and beans, and all the necessary plant for running a pakapoo “bank’’ were seized, in addition to ordinary playing cards of good quality, and a small sum of money, both European and Chinese. On being marched off to the Police Station, the Celestrials were taken before Mr. E. J. Twohill, 37 in all. and one. Chow Gow. was charged with being rhe keeper of a common gaming house, and the remaining 36 with being found on the premises. There was no shortage of cash when it came to the matter of finding bail, and the whole party was released on remand til 1 Thursday next, when they y ill appear at the Police Court.— Star.