GAMING ACT PROSECUTION

Taranaki Daily News, 19 July 1929, Page 11

GAMING ACT PROSECUTION

HAWERA ACCUSED APPEAR TEESDALE sEINED FIFTY POUNDS. ALL OTHER CASES ADJOURNED. PLEAS OF NOT GUILTY ENTERED. Five Hawera men charged with offences under the Gaming Act appeared before Mr. J. H. Salmon, S.M., at Hawera yesterday. Thomas Henderson Teesdale pleaded guilty to the common gaming house charge and- was fined £5O, in default three months’ imprisonment. The bookmaking charge against him was struck out, the police offering no evidence.

Herbert Allen, William Elder, Thomas Connell, and Edward Lavery all pleaded not guilty through counsel. A police witness being in Wellington, Detective Meiklejohn successfully applied for adjournments to July 31. Public interest was reflected by the attendance of about 100 spectators at the rear of the court.

Payment of a £5O fine or imprisonment for three months was the punishment meted out to Thomas Henderson Teesdale for keeping a common gaming house in tho premises of the Arcadia tea rooms on July 13, when Constables Scannell and Alullan visited the premises. Teesdalo admitted his guilt.

The operations of Teesdale were evidently- fairly extensive, said Mr. Salmon. In inflicting the fine of £5O he would take into consideration the fact that Teesdale had not previously been before the court. The Arcadia tea rooms in Union Street bad been used by Teesdale for six or seven months as a common gaming house, said Detective Meiklejohn. On June 14 and 15 they had been visited by a plain clothes policeman who had made a bet. An assistant bad been present on ono occasion. “UP-TO-DATE METHODS.’’ A constable had made a bet there again on the morning of July 13. A ticket had been given the constable in exchange for the bet. Teesdale, apparently, was doing business in an up-to-dato manner. There were plenty of books and papers lying about, together with race cards and times of starting. The sum of £75 had been found on his premises and £44 12s on accused’s person. He was apparently operating in a fairly big way. Teesdale had nothing to say. Herbert Allen was represented by Mr. T. A. Kinmont and pleaded not guilty to three charges of keeping a common gaming house on July 13, carrying on the business of a bookmaker on June 22, and being in High Street on June 22 for the purpose of betting. Detective Meiklejohn applied for an adjournment, which was granted with accused’s consent to July 31. Bail in tho original sum of £l6O was renewed. The magistrate remarked that accused had the choice of trial by jury or a summary hearing of the first mentioned charge. Counsel indicated his willingness to the adjournment of all charges. William Elder pleaded not guilty to the charge of assisting in the management of a common gaming house on July 13. Accused was represented by Mr. A. K. North, who agreed to an adjournment for a fortnight. The recognizance to appear was renewed. Thomas Connell and Edward Lavery pleaded not guilty to being found unlawfully on the premises of a common gaming house on July 13. Mr. A. K. North agreed to an adjournment, although he indicated he was ready to proceed.