MAGISTERIAL

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13601, 22 May 1908, Page 6

MAGISTERIAL

TIMARt"— .MAV 21m. I'JOoißefore Mr C. A. Wtay. S.M., POLtCK CASKS. A first offender was charged with being drnnk in Beswick Street on Wednesday. He failed to appear and on the evidence of Constable Smith was fined 10s and casts, in default 48 hours' imprisonment. A prohibition order was issued against ;i man residing in Timaru. THK GAMING ACT. Hugh McLean pleaded not guilty to a charge of offering to make bets in a public place at a sports meeting on May 14th, to wit at- ;» boxinvr contest at the Theatre Royal. Sub-Inspector Gteen .>aid that the information. which he thought w;:.v the first of the kind in the Dominion. Has laid under section 27 of the Gaming and Lotteries Act ntur ml men t act of lasi. year. The Act made it an offence to bet or offer to bet at any sports meeting in ;my public place; the definition of a public place was "any place, land or building to which the public were charged for admission." and " sports" included bicycl.-, foot or swim-

ming rat-erf. football matches or boxing contexts. 'J'hc charge of betting or offering to bet at the 1 heat re therefore came under this Act. fI" outlined the case and called : I'onstable Hauiniond. who deposed that acciiM-'d, who was in the stalls of the Theatre, called out ottering to make bets of "half a dollar." but did not sav who he would bet on. Witness advised him to keep tho in oner in his pocket and told him he lmd no right to make wagers there. Accused differed from him, saying it, wats a professional contest and thathe had a right to wager there. He persisted in calling out, saying that it was a public place. Witness took i., that accused was willing to bet on any of tho competitors, for the sake of a gamble. Accused was sober at the time. In reply to accused witness said he did not hear anyone else calling out to make bet*. Accused said he had no money to bet with, in fact he Lad to borrow money to pay for admission, and if he wanted to bet he would have nominated one of the competitors. JCt was a common thing to make bets on such coni'pei.^ons. Sub-Inspector (Jreeu said he understood that no bet was completed though there was no doubt accused offered to bet. He would not say that accused was a professional bookmaker because he had not the means to bet. HL<» Worship, taking into consideration the fact that this was the first case of the kind cautioned the accused and convicted and discharged him.