THE BIG POLICE RAID.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1413, 13 April 1912, Page 6

THE BIG POLICE RAID.

FIRST CASE DEALT WITH. (By Telesraph.—l'resß Association.) Auckland, April 12. A case in which a young man named Thomas Dwyev was charged on three counts with'having betted in a public place, to wit a billiard room, was heard by Mr. P. V. Fraser,. S.M., at tho Police Coujt to-day. The dates of the alleged offences were March 23, 2G, and April 3 Sills-Inspector Hendry stated that the police found-in defendant's possession a which showed that he had been following bolting. No doubt his past reputation was good, but, unfortunately for himself, ho hah launched out into this illegal form of obtaining a livelihood. Ho had made theso bets with n full knowledge that, every time he did so, lie was rendering himself liable to a penalty of .£IOO, but lio had taken the .risk. Tho Magistrate: This docs not appear to be a caSe in which a man has been carrying on a systematic business for a long' time. Anyway, I tlsink it is a caso in which I would not do wrong in indicting the minimum penalty on one of threo charges. You are fined. <£2A and costs, and, on the other two, you are convicted and dis'iiisse 1.

His Worship pointed out to defendant that it was unlawful to make, as well as to take, a bet. Tho recent arrests of eighty persons in the polico raid had been mostly for making bets. The terms on which he'-convicted and discharged dofelldant rn two of tho charges we.ro that ho kept clear of betting altogether. Mr. Dcnniston said that defendant iras prepare:! to givo this undertaking. He added that defendant was very anxious to get out of town, and ho would like a further, charge against him (of being in a common gaming-house) to be heard at once. The, case liad arisen out, of tho recent raid in which tho alleged offenders had been'remanded until April 18. His Worship granted tho application, and a plea of guilty was entered. The sub-inspector said that defendant had beon found in one of the billiard-, rooms recently raided, and, when the eases came on, there would be no ditiicultv in proviiVS (hat the saloon in which )i» 'was found--was a-common, gaminghouse.' He.had had-a. betting book on him 'when placed under arrest: Ito thought , that a small , fine would, meet the ease. .Mr. Dennislon submitted- that, as a line had already been inflicted, the magistrate might convict aud discharge ill the present instance. . -i n His. Worship replied that it would hardly bo fair to other persons who had been found on the ditlerent premises raided (and who, he presumed, would lie lined) to let defendant oIY in that mann<A fine of ill and costs was inflicted. John Ryan, Daniel Twohill Leonard Andrews, John Weston, 'Loftj Richards Fred Williams. Charles Barer, llobert Porter, and Charles Taylor, who were among the persons taken 111 custody during tho polico raid, were again formally charged with broaches of tho Gaming Act, and were remanded on bail (same ns°pi'eviously) to April-18.