TE AWAMUTU COURT

Waikato Times, Volume 126, Issue 21035, 10 February 1940, Page 18 (Supplement)

TE AWAMUTU COURT

BOOKMAKERS FINED GAMING HOUSE KEPT (Special to Times) .TE AWAMUTU, Friday The sequel to the police raid on certain business premises at Te Awamutu on Saturday, January 20, was the appearance of Thomas Carter, hairdresser, Hergel Edwin Orr, hairdresser, and Ivan Tolich, restaurant proprietor, before Mr W. H. Freeman, S.M., at today’s sitting of the Magistrate’s Court, for breaches of the Gaming Act. Carter was charged with keeping a common gaming-house and a plea of guilty was entered in his behalf by Mr B. Malone. Detective-Ser-geant Thompson, who prosecuted, said that as the result of certain information from the Te Awamutu police, a search warrant was executed in the premises occupied by Carter in Sloane Street. The material found was a note book recording 27 doubles, though the amount was not indicated, and there were some day cards. Carter was convicted in June, 1937, on a charge of book-mak-ing and lined £lO, on March 21, 1933, on a similar charge he was fined £25, and on October 12, 1927, he was fined £3 for assisting in keeping a common gaming-house. For the accused, Mr Malone said that the charge was admitted with all frankness. With regard to the previous convictions, it was noted that the latest had resulted in a fine of £lO only which probably indicated that the accused was not in a large way of business. The double referred to was only for a small amount. Apart from these offences, nothing was known against his client, who was a well-known and respected citizen. With regard to the penalty, it was unfortunate that the charge should come just at a time when taxpayers were receiving demands. He acknowledged that the penalty would have to be a firm one but asked that it be made as light as possible in the circumstances. Betting Material Found Orr was charged with keeping a common-gaming house and a similar plea was entered by accused through Mr Malone. Detective-Sergeant Thompson said that a quantity of betting material was found indicating that Orr was in a more substantial way than Carter. Material showed that within a month close on £BO worth of betting had been done. The material showed that Orr was probably a member of the Bookmakers’ Association. He had been previously convicted and fined £2O for a similar offence in January, 1938. Mr Malone said that the charge was freely admitted and he could only make a plea in regard to the penalty as had been done in the preceding case. Answering the Magistrate’s query, Orr was a member of the association, but Carter was not. The magistrate imposed a fine of £4O and ordered payment of costs in s,ach case. Tolich was charged with carrying on business as a bookmaker, and a plea of guilty was entered by Mr S. S. Preston. The prosecution said that on January 20 he and Constable Carseldine approached the business premises of the accused but were seen by him and he went inside with the police close on his heels. He was seen to place something in the stove but the police secured the material. Actually there was no record of betting, but on the premises were day cards for Thames and Wellington races. The accused turned out his pockets and showed a receipt for membership of the Dominion Sportsmen’s Association. Bookmaking Admitted Tolich made a statement that he was carrying on business as a bookmaker but he did not lay doubles. He had been in bed for some days and had not then taken any bets, but he admitted taking bets during the Christmas racing period. There was no reason to doubt the statement, but it was believed that accused had been bookmaking for some time. Mr Preston said that there had been a frank admission but for which his client would not have been before the court. He was a respectable business man and he had confined his transactions to people whom he knew and did not bet indiscriminately. It was his first offence. Accused had been in Te Awamutu 11 years.

The magistrate said that it was true that had there been no admission, Tolich would not have been before the Court, and, as it was presumably the first offence, he would make the fine £25.