MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1557, 28 September 1912, Page 14

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

(Before Mr. W. G. Riddell, S.M.) THE GAMING CASES. DECISION GIVEN BY COURTFOUR MEN FINED. MENTION OF APPEAL MADE. Yesterday morning Mr. W. G. Riddell,. S.M., delivered judgment in several oases brought under the baming Act. The defendants in the action were Arthur Law, Carl Uno Stellin, William Cowan, and David Eoss. Case of Arthur Law. The magistrate read an extensive judgment dealing with the case of Arthur Law. ' ■ Law was charged with having, on or about July 15, 1912, published a document which contained a notification on his behalf as to betting on the Wellington Steeplechase and the Winter Hurdles, to bo run at Trentham on July 17. ', ,

His "Worship said that the evidence was to the effect that on July 12 DetectiveSergeant Cassells, using the assumed name of "J. Morris," had written to Law, requesting him to post to him at tho Hailway Hotel, Lower Hutt, a double betting card on the Wellington and thß Christchurch race meetings. The letter from Detective Cassells had ben addressed :"A. Law, General Post Office, Wollmgton." On July 16 Detective Cassells had received a letter from the proprietor of tlio Kailway Hotel, Lower Ilutt, addressed: "Mr. J. Morris, Railway Hotel, Lower nutt." This letter bore tho Wellington postmark of July 15. It had contained a betting card, on one side of which was printed the double betting odds on the Wellington Stoeplechaso and the Winter Hurdles, and the words "Yankee Jack" were in tho top left-hand corner. Detective Cassells had then mailed to Law a 10s. postal noto for a certain double—Sir- Lethe and Tho Native—and. had asked for a straight>out quotation as to Paritutu in tho Christchurch Grand National Steeplechase, and for a double card for ChristchuTch. Tho postal note had subsequently been paid into Law's account at tho Bank of New South Wales. On July 29 Dctectivo Cassolls, still writing, as "J. Morris," had written Law a letter, in which ho had asked for a Christchurch doublo-card. In reply ho had received tho kind of chart requostcd, and this boro in its left-hand top corner (ho words "Yankee Jack." His Worship said that it had been held by Sir Robert Stout that cards similar to those forwarded to Dctectivo Cassells came within Section 30 of the Gaming Act, 1908. It had been proved that Law was a bookmaker. ■ "No evidence wba given by tho defendant,'" continued hia .Wfir/duji, "and

counsel argued that the letters received by the detective, and their contents, could not be admitted as evidence against defendant without proof that the handwriting on the envelopes was his. I think tho letters and contents can be admitted without proof of handwriting. Both are relevant to tho alleged offence, and the fact that tho letters enclosing tho cards nskod for were addressed to and received by the detective in answer to his written request to defendant for cards raises the inferenco that they belong to him and were enclosed either by him or with his authority. In tho absence of evidence to the contrary, the conclusions which I draw from tho facts submitted are that defendant received the letters and money order posted to him by'tho detective under an assumed name, and that the. double cards received by tho detective in response to his requests are the defendants and were forwarded by him, or by his authority, to the address named by tho detectivo." Law was convicted and fined .£3. Cases of Boss, Stellin, and Cowan. The cases of Eoss, Stellin, and Cowan were pronounced as almost similar, and fines of .£3 were imposed on. each of them. Mr. SI. Myers, who appeared for Eoss, Cowan, and Law, stated that an appeal would probably be made against the decision. CONDUCTOR AND PASSENGER. A young man was charged with having failed to pay a tram fare, and with having assaulted tho conductor of the car, Thomas Glengarry. Mr. P. W. Jackson, counsel for the defendant, said that the occurrence was due to "tlie conductor's want of tact." His Worship ordered defendant to pay costs, £2. The cuarge of assault was withdrawn. THE POISONS ACT. - The Wairarapa Farmers' Co-operative Association, Ltd., was charged with having sold poisou (lysol) not distinctly labelled. Defendants were ordered to pay Court costs 7s. It was explained that they had been quite unaware that in selling lysol they were doing anything which was prohibited. William Camnbell and John M'llraith and Co. were charged with selling lysol while not being registered as vendors of poisons. The defendants were each ordered to pay costs 7s. Both stated that they had not known that there wa3 any objection to groccrs selling lysol.

BY-LAW PROSECUTIONS. William Standen was fined 55.. with costs 75., on a charge of his having driven over the intersection of-Willis Street and Lambton Quay at a speed greater than a walking pace. For a breach of the same by-law Philip de Sousa was fined £1, with costs 7s. James Wilson was .ordered to pay costs 75., for having failod to keep a street obstruction lighted at night. Alfred Smith, who was accused of having driven a vehicle without a light, was fined 55., with costs 7s. Thomas Williams was fined 55., with costs 95., for hi# having charged moro than tho proper cab fare. The defendant stated that he had broken the by-law quite inadvertently; that he had not known that there was a difference in the scale for tho Queen's Wharf and tho King's Wharf. For having permitted stock to. wander Reginald Welsby was.fined £1, with costs' £1 155.; William Peterson was fined 55., with costs 75.; Alfred Bradley was fined 55., with costs 75.; William Autrobus. 10s., with costs 17s. Cd.; and Edward Bloomfield, >55., with costs £1 3s.- Gd. OTHER CASES. . . For insobriety Jeremiah Driscoll was fined 10s., William R«a, 10s., -and Henry Richardson, 17s. Gd. (medical expenses). C. E. Turner was ordered to pay costs 13s. for having attempted to uso an expired railway ticket. May Gibbons wai fined 10s.; with costs 75.. for having broken a prohibition order. For -their having failed to attend military drill, the following were each ordered to pay Court costs, ; 7s.Thomas Campbell, Stanley Edwards, Harold Hart, Henry ' Angel Murray, and M. Morris. Isidore Jacobus was fined ~fl, with costs 135., - for having failed to ; keep a wages and an overtime book. John Augustine I'ylo was charged, .nr, two separate informations, with' having driven in front of tramcars so as to' impede their progress, and with having assaulted David Toliill, a tram conduc-' tor. Defendant did not dispute the allegations, but it was stated by tho City solicitor, that Pyle was a man of good renutation; who must have lost control of his temper. Pyle was ordered to pay fines totalling XI 10s., and costs amounting to .£3 3s. ' Margaret Webster, who 'was deemed to b-> an incorrigible ro<?ue, was sent to tho Epuni Street Home for six months.