BOOKMAKERS FINED

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 60, 4 December 1919, Page 8

BOOKMAKERS FINED

MAXIMUM PENALTIES IMPOSED IMPRISONMENT TO FOLLOW FUTURE CONVICTIONS

By TeleermDh—Prose Association. Christohurch, December 3. In giving his dcoision on charges of betting on "licensed premises againet two Dunedin bookmakers, Louis Curtis and William Pollock, both of whom pleaded guilty, Jlr.-.S. E. AL'C.irthy said: "Tho Court, in. deciding what punishment to inllict in these cases, is not concerned about tho ethics of honse-rac-iug or gambling or tho suggested hypocrisy of Government legalising and getting revenue from the lotalisator, andto some extent banning the bookmaker. Tho point is that Parliament, the duly constituted Legislative authority of the Dominion, has laid it down that bookmakers shall not carry on their calling in certain places, as, for example, common gaming nouses, public streets or licensed premises, or make bets with infanta. Bookmakers, notwithstanding the gradual increase in the fines imposed, have gone on defying tho law. They have treated those fines as mere license to carry on their illegal calling. It is 110 part of the Court's duty to call a bookmaker by Jiis names. The Court's duty, however, is to see that the law of the land is not set at defianco with impunity. We must now ascertain who is the strongest factor in the Dominion—Parliament or the bookmaker. I havo determined in each of these cases to inflict tho maximum penalty. I will, however, take this opportunity of notifying the bookmakers thai in cases of future convictions lines will not bo imposed: imprisonment ,will follow conviction." ' Curtis was fined .£IOO on each charge of betting, in default one month's imprisonment, and .io, in default fourteen days' imprisonment, on the charge of distributing documents without the printer a name attached. . His total fines with costs amounted to J;206 Is. Pollock was fined .£IOO and costs, in default one montli's imprisonment, on each of tho two charges of betting, and_X's and costs, in default fourteen days' imprisonment, on each of the three charges of distributing cards without tho printer's ?iams attached, his total finc3 with costs amounting to «621G 15s. Both defendants were given a week in which to find the money...