YE GAME OF PAK-A-POO

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2880, 19 September 1916, Page 6

YE GAME OF PAK-A-POO

—t BIG SYNDICATE ALLEGED TO SUPPORT IT. Addressing the Court during _ the police prosecution of certain Chinese on charges of being actively concerned in the garao of pak-a-poo, Inspector Hendrey said that he had heen inform-; ed that a wealthy syndicate of Chinese in Wellington paid one hundred of their countrymen £100 per year to run the pak-a-poo business. The wages, and expenses, etc., amounted to nearly £100,000 per-year, while close on £30,000 per year found its way into the Chinese quarter of the town from Wellington citizens who indulged in the gambliug. If the Chinese were convicted, the syndicate "higher up' 1 stood bail for them during the bearing of the cases, paid a solicitor to appear for them, and,' if necessary, found the money with which to pay tho fines imposed. If the men went to gaol they received .£2 per week while they were there. ■ He ha J also been iuformed that twenty-four pak-a-poo "banks" were drawn in Wellington every day—twelvo during tho daytime and twelve at night.' None of the Europeans ever saw tho drawing as it was done in secret. Ho described the proceedings as a swindle from start to finish. In conclusion, the .Inspector said that something would have to be done to stop tho evil, and something more would have to be done in the future.