THE BOOKMAKER AND THE LAW.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1126, 13 May 1911, Page 3

THE BOOKMAKER AND THE LAW.

Sii',—l noticed a letter in last Saturday's issue of your journal, and I must express my utter disgust at tap incompetent manner which" the authors tics treat this serious and national' disease, which, is nlflicting our youth. "Searchlight" did not mention anything about the "Calcutta" sweeps which were got off in connection with the last Wellington race meeting. The swoops were got off in an- institution which is, apparently, immune from polico inspection, and a good few hundred pounds changed hands. Yet despite- that this matter was 'Drought beforo your readers, a couple of days ago, a great amount of money went through tlie' "hookies" on the occasion of a large meeting awry from Wellington. 'It ~ was rntlier n good joke to watch the ( two myrmidons who wore dotailed ,to watch 'tlio proceedings. Why, their' well-known presence in Willis Street and Lambton Quay r,o publicly was a. . sourco of salcty to the operators. I; am not a horsey man, but a follower, of'' our national game, football, and it ia ' here more particularly that 1 wish to ■ make myself protectant...- It is fnst becoming intolerable to note the regrettable tendency of betting in connection with a spurt that has mado New Zealand famous in other lands; add I am very pleased indeed to see that tho Rugby' Union's complaint to the Petone lSorotigli Council moved that body to notify the police of the matter of tho betting which is. going on. Bui what is tho use of informing the police—they ( know all about, it, anil the public, wel- ' fare of our young men is glossed over ' 'in a shameful manner.■ - The iirst lesions that tho polire probationer receive are in the art of "pimping" on tho "lighthouse" and tho sly grog-shpp.' Could ho not bo utilised among tho • "bookies" with whom he is not yet ac- ; quaintcd, instead of thoso officers who have proved themselves rank failures? .. ' I commend this side of the business to Chief-Detect ivo Brobcrg. It is, lam sure, worthy of a trial. It is said "that the obtaining of convictions against law-breakers is a sovc-i reign step to promotion. 'A pair of officers have put up a record for tho J '.loteclion of sly grog-cases which should i entitle tlir.m !.o the post of Coimnis- . Bio'ner. Why should not the other branch emulate, their deeds against tlio wholesale bookmaker. It is a simplematter, and easy enough, as the 'tbookics" do it openly. Trusting that tliis ni.il.tpr will not be. allowed to rest tP_' something definite is done, —I am, etc., .... A CLKAN SPOUT, Wellington, May 10, 1911; [A number of other letters are in type, but aro crowded out of this issue.] Th'o daughter of a Bradford Wcslcyaa minister has recovered .C-25 damages ngtiinst an optician for »lle«cd nculiponco in connection, with the supply of spectacles. .Defendant did not inform lier of a diseaso of "conical cornea" in .her pvos when. prescribinß spectacles! with fhe result that, her eyesight was seriously impaired, and she was praclically incapacitated from earning her living,. The optician contended that ho was not called upon to diagnose ;\ diwaso of the eye. At a previous hearinc the jury dis-. nereed,.