MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2458, 11 May 1915, Page 9

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

BETTING IN WILLIS STREET

BOOKMAKER FINED £25

Matthew Livingstone appeared in the Magistrate's Court yesterday before Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, S.M., charged with —(1) Loitering in Willis Street for the purpose of betting; (2) being a bookmaker, did bet in Willis Street. Inspector Hendrey prosecuted, while Mr. P, W. Jackson ■ appeared for the defence. <

George Arthur Puller, horse trainer, saidi he knew defendant as a bookmaker for the last 25 years. About February , 16, prior to the Dunedin Cup Meeting, he met defendant and asked him if he had a double chart for the meeting. Defendant gave him one, and after _!hav- ' ing a look at the card witness picked Fender and Warstep as his doublo, at 33 to 1. Defendant then gave him another card, but witness did jiot bet on ; this. Both the horses witness picked ] came in first, but although he applied i for payment Livingstone did not give him his £33. When witness first took the double Livingstons said he was betting for Arthur Law. . Witness added that a man named Stewart had gone shares with him ill the double in . question, and that ho had had to pay : half the £33 over to him. To Mr. Jackson: Racing was wit- ; ness's living, and he had followed it for' 1 the past 30 years. Since Livingstone ! had been in Wellington witness had not • seen him making a bet other than with 'himself (witness). Witness admitted that he had been previously convicted for various offences. John (Stewart, labourer by occupa- ; tion, said that he was with Fuller when , he took up the double. He saw Fuller hand over a pound to Livingstone, while he (witness) gave 10s. to Fuller ; as his share in the bet. To Mr. Jackson: Witness did not' know he had; won until some .days after ( the race, while he would probably never have known only for Fuller telling him and paying over half the mcney. He did not bother about inquiring who won the race as Fuller "always paid up to him." Constable Whitehouse said he knew Livingstone as a bookmaker for the past twenty years. This concluded the evidence for the prosecution. Defendant in his evidence absolutely denied that Fuller had taken . up a double with him. No bookmaker had over taken up such a, double on the two races mentioned by Fuller. To Inspector Hendrey :vWitness did not deliberately, leave Christchurch because he had "welched" a number, of residents there, "neither bad he left Palmerston North with number of unpaid, wagers.. . This concluded the evidence. The Magistrate said 1 he'mush convict defendant- 'If it had not been for the corroboration of Fuller's evidence by Stewart he may not havo convicted, but in face of this he must convict. Defendant had been previously convicted' and would be fined £25. Witnesses' expenses, £4 2b., were also ordored to l'o paid. Tho default was fixed at, ono month's gaol. Security for appeal was fixed at £10 10s., with the amount of the fine and expenses, in all £40. The charge of loitering in Willis Street was withdrawn. A WINK RESENTED. Because a Hindu named Alia Dall winked at his wife, Charles Henry' Latham assaulted him, and when the constable asked him why he did it Latham emphasised his reply with an obscene expression. Further, Latham resisted violently when arrested. Charged with the three offences. Latham pleaded guilty, Mr, H. F. O'Leary making the above explanation on his behalf. The Magistrate o:.nvicted accused, and ordered him to come up for sentence when called upon, on the assault charge, and fined him £1, in default three days, and 405., in default seven days, on each of the remaining charges. - OTHER OASES. David Colvin was convicted and ordered to come up for sentence when called upon, on a charge of being a rogue and a vagabond. Accused_ uas found on Sunday night sleeping in an express on private property. Ail old offender named Jessie M'Ewen was sent to the Salvation Army Home for twelve months on a charge of being an incorrigible rogue, with insufficient, means of support. She was convicted and discharged for drunkenness. John Mitchell, who stole a kit of tools from a fellow workman named John Brown, was sentenced to seven days' imprisonment. Acoused was ordered to. pay the Bs. 6d be received for the tools irom a second-hand dealer. For drunkenness, Michael M'Mahon, Thomas Forsyth, and l Dorothy Aubrey were each fined 405., in default seven days' gaol: William Dennehv, fined £1. or three days; and. Nora Nugent and William Williams, each fined 10s., or 48 hours. For breaches of their prohibition orders, George Henry Parkinson and Patrick; Rice were each fined £1, with costs 78., in default three days' gaol. The charge against Elizabeth LeaWood of stealing goods to the value of 265. 6d. from John Parry, was adjourned to May 24. ; _ The case against Frederick Blacklidge of committing an aggravated assault on Vine Blacklidge, his wife, was withdrawn. / ■ For disobeying a maintenance order, the arrears of which totalled £105 8s;, Chin Ah Leong was sentenced to six months' imprisonment, the warrant to be suspended on payment of Bs. per week. BREACHES OF SHOPS AND OFFICES ACT., Ten breaches of the Shops and Offices Act were alleged against R. Maxwell by Mr. Wm. Slaughter, the Labour Department Inspector. Five of the informations read that ■ defendant employed waitresses more than 52 hours a week and failing to pay overtime; and the remaining five employing waitresses extended hours and failing to notify the Labour Department. Mr. M. Luckie appeared for defendant. It was decided to go on with only four of the charges, the others to be adjourned for further inquiry. After a partial hearing of the evidence. Mr. Luckie intimated that. he would enter a. plea of guilty. In two of the cases of tailing to pay overtime lines of £2, with costs, were imposed, while on the two charges of failing to notify the Department fines of 55., with costs 75., were imposed. The other six cases were adjourned to Friday. . __________