MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 683, 7 December 1909, Page 5

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

I (Before Mr. W. V G. Riddell, S.M.) l; ■ THE METHODS OF STREET BETTING. ii Two, .charges of- betting in, the public, street j wore preferred against Harry Johnson, 'who was defonded by Mr. Herdman. The informations alleged: (1) That defendant, in November e {7, did make a, bet with Jas. Cuinmings on the -!, : Matamai-iilying Handicap, run ?at Dannei': virkoi (2> on the. same date did make a bet w "h Jas. Cummmgs on the Eaumati Hurdle ! race, also'run at Dannevirke. ' - ■ * ; / .If After Jas. Walden, - racecourse dotective. had , s beoa called, to 'give evidonce 'as'.to the races' l ; run and the horses starting at Dannevirke on i . in. question, Constahlo-Cumiainga went •]: -■.{ntp the. box: and ,said. that on November-17 if, ae met defendant,,with whom ho had no previous acquaintance. He was standing on in ./ ront of tho Kelburno i: •PHliard .Saloon, ,and .witness went up .to him ii :■ 9P": Bjt:a_race-card for. the Dannevirko meotI: ing-:. AI few. minutes later he.returncd, and the ii, following laconical" conversation . took iplace — I th^^tma! 1 Handicap 83 ° n . the tOP " We,Sht 111 Drfendailt; Stay boy? { DefSdantf'lifhT 1 53 ' ° D Advantage- , Witness then handed 10s. to defendant, and I nex , t da y he returned, -and - defendant ; romarking one: three", handed him • °e>ng.;lßs. dividend on- Stayboy 'and ss. fsti'rncd, a?. Advantage did not stnrt. . . I Mr. Herdman to witness: Was there no n ; . 4ther .conversation than; what you have re- • \j>oatear—"No. - : i' " • ' i there anything that ?? i. • Wstt !: .,defeiidant-.'to > suppose you .vero ndt r. a Rift'<>f ?the money?—"Yes,-the' ;-fact, that, he, was bookmaker. ! +1, f jalso gave evidence, stating ".. !i.. i? . seon Constable Cummings han3 money to defendant,-and on the second day re]v coivo'some from .him.: --It/was not the.usual: i ?v a S9f?»>: ; - for-a ..bookmaker to : stateI- .. . e. was making .a. bet,,or have any prelimmary conversation. The whble thing' was ji understood , : ii Hordman. did not call any evidenco for l • ut ' "pressing tho Bench, he ' SS e i l he ev , ld °nco called by Chief ' an?' tB ,{ be ' prosecution was •'I- 'to : j IS ® rst prosecution in. Wellington under Section 21, sub-Section 2 o( ' '' ' and he would point out ' M •' tho -'section- were,verj '' to u ok , ma^ r Y as allow «l to bet on •v.. he. made, a»bot on the ii pen^of^m^fvvc 4116;he4v7 minimum ' J'-:. TOS^lf^H^ s, '' i j l '^ fil?dm g'''-d # f # nd««t • gnilfar, lIS r d , oat intention of the statute l! bookmakers .to be licensed was I to tho- race--u . th>s .y'aso-ho woald impose tho ■v- n^nimum 'penalty of and costs: 255. .. :: ' o'ffprhd tw venation, no evidence/ was 1 ® and,the information,was dismissed.

CONCERNING THREE LETTERS. °{? Iatll(!r unusual char. J: -a 1 ,S,n re ' •lMtt::pndet..the. Post and Toleirraoh m'- a ® al n S J u^ m ' Sheehan, charging him V odtal P ac H ; to wit,, a letter, to one D^, er . s uc h postal packet having • thereon .words of .an, jmpropor character- (2) 6T T at ii llnston ' 'Posting ••« ..v. , • J- .-Donnelly, containing words of t 1 ':(?)■ November 17, at '■ ® po3txiig..a, letter containing words ' ch £™*»T- to Daniel O'Connor. j; ■ After oviaenco had ..boen given by Messrs. aßd O'Connor, as to tC£ 1 ?lr th< ? ?Chiel-fletectivo 'Brobcrg iwll ed 7? J W Km A teller ra tho Bank ol ; New Zealand. Ho ; stated that ho had an ex- ' ''SnnU tl 01 f « ' and had no : „ V threo letters ■ produced 'and al6o •i-J-S9B ■ — 'tyS liad :beon written) bv the a 'piece of .blot-' • HinV n?°ti,i s i«d U »°^ ; v n3 also identical: with j.ihat or the letters..; Gorman Blaekmore, accountant at the I\nti<Snal Bank of New Zealand, gavo similar evidence i - :i; : Detectivei Cassells stated 'that' defendant, at ■. n let.fkfiSpqllingg such. as. "prcisfc/' I'.®?S>.. : . v Weything,"; etc., .wereiden- ■ ■'■ I "mi.' 6 . or 'B ,n jl letters' and defendant's ! ! W® P'Sce.of.blotting-paper; concerning !f t? Jhe expertsi. .had., given evidence, was lonfao- .ia defendant s;r6om;V '' ' ; '. '' - Giving evidonco on his own behalf, dofen- ; dant denied all; knowledge -of tho letters or the persons. to whom they .were addressed. Ho had never had any quarrel with the threo men, •' Ind-'it,would not.benefit ■ Kini J in'*any way to ." '■ * lletters* toi';" thein» : • ■ Previous ■" to Iheso case 9 he had novor. had any troublo with the police, ; i-Cliiel-Dotcctiye -Brobcrg:: ,x Did- not' Detcctive Boyle, .see. you :at-Gisborne' in regard to 6ome letters. sont.- thero ?;rvYes; • letters in - regard to - burning; down -honses." ': - • .u ; i.Hr., Broberg : He, accused you; of sendmi? the Utters?—'Tes " •,vMr, • Brobenj.: And, afterwards 'you/were examined by • doctors ?—'TTes/i ; r:

...His Worship; remarked that defendant was •at in that- lie was a layman, buti he had had every opportunity of engaging .counsel, "ho evidence was against him, " i A'fw. 011 , '\°t ■an expert in iiandwnting .could tell that the letters and defendant's copy were similar, in many respects. Defendant would bo fined .£5 on each charge, and costs totalling .£3 15s. . ' Defendant: Is there any alternativo? . ills :: In, default. one month's imprisonment; ■■ Defendanti'l'll do the month. MISCELLANEOUS CASES. " Michael Keating ,; .and Torenco ■ M'Alear, charged with insobriety, were each fined 10s., in default 48 hours in gaol. One first offender was convicted and discharged, and . another fined as., in default 24 hours. ' Jas. Cox,. abas Jas, Burke, was convicted and discharged for insobriety,- and convicted and fined 20s. and costs Gs., for refusing to lcavo licensed promises when, called upon to do so. ■.-■■ :: Oliifiii pleaded guilty 'to. a charge of; theft, of a r pair of boots, valued at 35., the property of Violet Monkhouse. Defendant, who .had: been employed as a domestic servant by Mrs. Monkhouse, said- that she entered the house and took the boots because , she could not, find'her own. His Worship ordered her to come up for sentence when called on. • On-a,charge, of stealing a copper boiler, valued at- 12s. .fid., tho jiroperty of Fabian 8r05.,, Geo. White, alias Williams, pleaded not guilty, .and was remanded to December 10. A respectably-dressed ' woman named Mary Hartnell was convicted of < importuning, and at.the request:of Mr. P. W. Jackson was remanded to December 8, in order. th(vt her relatives at Christchnrch mignt be communicated with. Bail was allowed m .£lO and one' surety of £10. ■ For ...travelling 'on. the railway train from Wellington to Ngaio on an expired ticket, Jas. Scott was'fined'ss., and costs; 155., in' default 43 hours. . .. . • Wm. Alfred Carpenter was ordered to pay 7s, fjd. 'Per' week towards the' maintenance of his mother. .7■ : Ernest Henry M'Ginnity was ordered to pay 16s. per week. towards the support of 'his wife.' , ;-.i"- ... On-a:charge, of boarding a tram-car in motion, E.-Hooper was ' convicted and ordered to pay, costs 275., in default 48 hours! '