GENERAL TELEGRAMS

Waipa Post, Volume XII, Issue 944, 20 May 1920, Page 5

GENERAL TELEGRAMS

SUICIDE BY SHOOTING.

DEATH OF A YOUNG MAN,

By Telegraph—Press Association DUNEDIN, This Day.

Anthony Patterson, an unmarried man*aged 25 years, a farm labourer, was found dead in his bedroom at the Occidental Hotel with a wound in the cente of his forehead and a .22 Stevens rifle, with a discharged cartridge in the chamber, lying on the floor. The deceased is reported to have left a letter in his room stating that he intended to commit suicide, and saying good-bye to a girl.

MAORI ABDUCTION CASE.

IMPRISONMENT ORDERED,

AUCKLAND, This Day

A warning to Maoris was issued by Judge Chapman when a young Maori named Tui Hohaea entered a plea cf guilty to a charge of abducting a Maori girl under sixteen years of age. Counsel said it was just an ordinary case of a Maori boy running away with a Maori girl. Even the police were in doubt as to the girl’s age. His Honour said that in face of accused’s good character and the fact that he had served his country, he would impose only a short sentence of imprisonment. The next man to do anything of the kind would get a more severe sentence. Accused was sentenced to three months’ hard labour.

BOOKMAKERS AND BETTING.

CHRISTCHURCH, Wednesday. • At a meeting of the Council of Churches the secretary, the Rev. J. J. North, read a lengthy letter addressed by the chairman, the Rev. Dr Erwin, and himself, to the Prime Minister on the subject of the bookmaking evil. They suggested that nothing would serve but an Act. amending the Gaming Act, with a very careful and comprehensive definition of the bookmaker. They urged that the calling be made definitely illegal, that those suspected of engaging in it be dealt with summarly by a magistrate, and that the penalty be imprisonment without a fine. They are strongly urged that in the legislation the Orders-in-Council regarding betting telegrams and money orders be incorporated, and that penalties be affixed to th e offence of using the public services for the transmission of betting business. They wished to point to the futility of the remedy suggested by the racing clubs that the licensing of a double totalisator would destroy bookmaking The reinstitution of the double totalise tor would not trouble the bookmaker. No one could invest on the machine save those who visited the course. The bookmaker would have all the rest of the Dominion with which to do