Made £700 to £800 A Year By Betting.

Chronicle (Levin), 11 March 1948, Page 3

Made £700 to £800 A Year By Betting.

• Press AssociationJ

(Per

NEW BLYklOUTH, March 10. A claim that he had made £700 lo £800 a year by betting on racehorses was the basis of the defence of Michael Metod Novak, a restauiant proprietor, who iippeared before Mr. W. II. Woodward, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court at New Plymoutli today charged with wilfuJly furnishing false returns of incojne. Mr. Woodward reserved his decision. Tho charges based on informations laid by the Commissioner ot Taxes alleged a total discrepancy of £5574 over a period of iive years to March. 31, 1947. Evidence that his books were made up by liis son from entries in notebooks was given by Novak. For his business he had oue bank account and another for gambling. He did his betting "tlirough another son who received ls Od in the £1 Commission from a bookmaker. Asked by counsel for the prosecution (Mr. J. P. Quilliam) whether as he could make £700 to £800 a year at gambling ahd only £483 from his business, he had considered devoting himself entirely to gambling, Novak reydied that he had! not and would not give up his business for he believed in work. From his experienc.e of other similar businesses he judged the returns to be reasonable, said defendant's son, Frank Novak, who made out the returns. It did not surprise him to learn that his father inade £700 to £800 a year at gambling. He interviewed the bookmaker who wrote a statement bnt after seeing his solicitor he would not jjroduce it.