BIG POLICE NIGHT.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1439, 14 May 1912, Page 6

BIG POLICE NIGHT.

W A CHINESE DEN.' .THIRTY-EIGHT ARRESTS MADE, SOME OF THE SCENES. ' ' (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) Auckland, May 13. It has lon£ been that Knne premises on tho south Mile ut' W akt'fiolil Street ■ were used by Chinese residents as a Rambling house, and the recently inacio arrangements for a raid. TJiia "was effected last night about 8 o'clock, and nearly -10 Chinese were arrested. Tho raid was tho first of tho 'kind in Auckland for eleven years. Tho premises eousist of a largo and roomy nail, used as ti storeroom, and an old' ramshacklc wooden building next door. Collectively they havo been, dubbed by their i'rernionters the ".Northern 'Club." Tho raid was carried out by Sergeants Ferguson and Bird, and eleven constables, who entered and seized all who were within, nnd then waited for lurther victims. The only entrance in use was a small doorway in the large doors in front of tho building, and the constable stationed msido gave more than a hearty welcome to anyone who presented himself at the little door. There arc other Chinese establishments in the neighbourhood, and a number of men came'down from the>*o at intervals, and two of them were added to the contingent of their chastened countrymen inside. Of. the nest pair ono gathered from his : companion's unusually hurried entry and from a gasped'word or two that something was wrong, and rushed back to his friends up the street. No more victims came to the door after that. The Chinese who were disturbed in tho building took their surprise very calmlly. One or two of them showed signs of resisting, but were advised by the police to .behave-.themselves. There were fivo '.'table?" in the; room, and these were apparently'- devpted respectively to ,'fautan, pakapoo, dice, cards, nnd dominoes. On four of them there was money. This was seized by ono of the sergeants, and tho other arrested the alleged hanker. His nllegcd clerk dodged under the table on the instant. Some Professed Christians. Altogether, 38 arrests were effected. The men were of nil ages, and, among them, were who had been to church, and .who are professed members of the Christion Chineso community. The prisoners we're brought'ont in small batches, and taken to the polico station in a motor-car. Remarkably little attention was attracted by the raid until tho car had made three or four trips. Chinese Humour. Then a number of Chineso came round' the doors and watched tho proceedings with mixed feelings. They "bantered the prisoners now and then, and the victims of tho law's alertness retaliated in kind, often making reference in pigeon English to tho inotor-car, and' their temporary accession ' to prominence. "When the car had run back and forth a 'few times, a large crowd at. the foot of the street suddenly deserted an openair speaker, nnd (locked around. They were much interested in the proceedings, but made no demonstration of any kind. Court Proceedings. At the Police Court this morning the arrestees, who had been released 011 bail oil " tho previous evening, were charged with having been found in a common gaming house. All pleaded not guilty, and a remand was granted for a week. Ting Hing was charged with, kef ping a house in Wakefield Street wluch was used as a common gaining house, and Jim Wong .and All Lee were charged with assisting in the management of a common gaming house. These cases also were adjourned till" Monday next for hearing. Bail for the three alleged principals was allowed in one surety of i:100 each, and,'for the'others, 'in "one surety-'of .CIO each. The bail was forthcoming,'