£2835 TAKEN IN DAY

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21822, 27 November 1940, Page 4

£2835 TAKEN IN DAY

Bookmaking Firm’s Business By Telegraph—Press Association PALMERSTON N.. November 26 Breaches of the Gaming Act were admitted by six men and one woman who made their appearance in the Magistrate's Court to-day. Dario La Chetto Giorgi and Harry M. Essex were charged with carrying on the business of bookmaking and Ada Beatrice Giorgi was charged with assisting them. Detective Sergeant Meiklejohn said Giorgi and Essex pooled their businesses in addition to buying out, in July, the business of a third man named Williams. As a result they conducted one of the largest bookmaking establishments in the city. They had five telephones and up to 4 p.m. on November 23 business for the day amounted to £742 13 -. On me first day of the Wellington meeting they took £1633/16/- and for the first day of the Christchurch Cup meeting takings were £2394 18/-. It was astounding that such a large amount of money went through one office. Giorgi and Essex were fined £l5O and Mrs Giorgi £25. Jack Vickerstaff, proprietor of a billiards saloon, was fined £lOO for bookmaking. The other three accused, John Francis Hickey, George Herbert Manuel and Henry Barnett Scott, were all barmen. The first was fined £2O for having carried on bookmaking for a long time and the other two £l5 each. All acted as agents. Detective Sergeant Meiklejohn intimated that it might be necessary to bring hotel licensees before the Court also, if it was found that they allowed bar hefting to be carried on in tneir premises.