BOOKMAKER FINED £25 FOR FIRST OFFENCE

Wanganui Chronicle, 27 August 1946, Page 2

BOOKMAKER FINED £25 FOR FIRST OFFENCE

NOT LONG IN BUSINESS

Stated by his counsel. Mr. J. S. D. Tizard, to have taken up bookmaking on his return from overseas service

because he was unable to do heavy work, Gordon John J’ask, aged 40, was lined £25 by Mr. J- H. S.M., in the Wanganui Magistrate’s Court yesterday, for using premises in Wilson Street, on August 24, for the purpose of bookmaking. He pleaded guilty, and elected to be dealt with summarily. A charge of bookmaking ca lies with it the right to trial by jury if a defendant so elects. Detective-Sergeant H. A. Hay said that when Detective Vasta and Constable Dudley visited a room defendant was using they found betting material records showing that he had taken about 100 bets, ranging from 2s 6d to 255, and totalling £7l 17s 6d. Defendant had not been before the Court before. He only had the use of the room in which he was found, and boarded at a hotel. Mr. Tizard said that his client had served overseas for three and a-half years and suffered from asthma, for which he received a small pension. He could not do heavy work, and this was the reason why he had started taking bets. He was not in a big way of business. The magistrate said, in imposing line of £25. that he would take into consideration the fact that, defendant had not been previously convicted, had net been operating for long, and suffered a disability.