POLICE BUSINESS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1749, 14 May 1913, Page 5

POLICE BUSINESS.

' THE GAMING ACT. EICHAEDS FINED £20. Mr. W. G. Kiddell, S.M., delivered judgment in tlie cases in which Joseph Richards pleaded not guilty -to two charges to tho effcct that, being a.bookmaker, hs betted iu the Dominion billiard room ou March '.'0 and April 3. At the hearing Dotectivc-Srrgcant Cassells stated in evidence that Kichards whs a recognised small bookmaker. He was so lucky with, his hstt-ing that lie was known as "Protected." _ Eichards fre(Uieated the Dominion billiard falcon. Constable Thomas deposed at the hearing to having seen liic-hards in the Dominion billiard saloon handing a card to men and taking money from them and noting something in a book. Witness too,; two double bets with lticbards ou different dates. , , . Mr. 11. F. o'l.eary (Kichards's counsel) submitted to the Court that a bujavc.room was not a public place, becau.-? it was not a place where the public assemble. Ho submitted tint "public iu thisffive« v e meant "the members ot I lie communiiv" (a definition <]rawn ii'din (iu 1 Oxford dictionary). A billiard-room was not opc-n to people nmler 18 years -ot ag-", iuebrinted or disorderly people, ami was not i'rer[tie-nte(l by women. In the course of hi? judgment, - his AVor*hip said that Ml'. Justice C.uuineu considered that a "public place, or a "nlaco ot' public l'Ccort,"* did not ]iccr.--favilv mean place whero public had a right-by law to go. but a place to which, os'a matter of fact, ihp public wert. His AVorsliii) did not think that anything Mr. OXeary had quoted sliowrd that a billiard-vosm was not a public place.' He was satisfied that the allegation- that Richards was-a bookmaker «.ij sufficiently supported by evidence, and tbi'.t- it was testified that luchards maciL bets in tho liilliard-room. ■ Richards was lined ,£2O, and was g»*eii seven, days in which io p;iy. OTIIKK CASE?. Mr. W. G. lliddcll, S.M., dealt with the following other eases:— Charles Johr.-on was fined .£1 tor having stolen a quantitv of paint belonging to tho AVhito Star Shipping Company. James Breen vns fined «£- loi insobriety. ' , . Hugh Murray was to ono liie-ath's imprisonment for having committed an obscenc act in Wesley l\c:ul.