"TWO-UP" SCHOOL AT KORO KORO

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 75, 22 December 1920, Page 8

"TWO-UP" SCHOOL AT KORO KORO

SUBSTANTIAL FINES INFLICTED.

As the result of a surpriso visit paid by the Pt'lona police to <v "two-up" school iu the Koro Koro bush on Sunday afternoon, nine men were charged'at Petone, before Messrs. J. Kerr and J. Piper, J.P.'s, with being rogues and vagabonds, in as much as they played a game of chance in a public place. Their names were as follow Frank Salkeld, Albert Canieron, Ernest Le.ckio. Joseph Wymess, Walter Lawson, John Lindsay Banks, Anthony Moran, Eustace Scliofer, and Cyril Watkins.

With the exception of Moran and Lawson, pleas of guilty were entered. Acquiescence was given 'by Ilia Bench to the request of Senior-Sergeant Bird 'hat the charge be amended to section S, sub-section 1, of the Gaming Act, "that they did play au unlawful gnme.- to wit two up, in the Koro Koro bush. Senior-Serjeant Bird said that for some time past portions of the native bush at Koro Koro Had been invaded on Sundays by large numbers of men, who participated in a game called "two-up." Witness then explained the manner in which the game was played. Continuing, he remarked that it might appear a perfectly innocent game, but to his mind it was the most deadly form of gambling known. Complaints as to the existence of a "school" in the vicinity of Koro Koro had reached him from time to time. Paid "fronts" were in the employ of the school—ho himself had seen them at work. While it was in operation on Sunday afternoon, the school was raided, upon the advent of the constables the players scattering in all directions. Thero were about twenty "pupils" present, nine of whom were apprehended, and marched to tho police station. From a train which had just Arrived at Petono frotn WelJinstnn between forty and fifty men alighted and began to wend their way up the hill, the road to which, is merely a stone's throw from the railway station. "When they saw their mates accompanied t'y an escort comiw; down they beat a hasty retreat," fa id the senior sergeant.

The charges against Moran niid Lawson, against whom there was no direct evidence, were, on tlhe application of Sergeant Bird, withdrawn. Askod by the prosecution whether they had anything to say, ono accused, Albort Cameron, remarked that "it scorned to him that 'two-up' was the fairest game in the world."

The Bench, in inflicting a fine of ,£lO, nnd costs 75., on each accused, said that ('ho offence was a grave one, tho maximum, penalty for which was .£.lO, or three months' imprisonment. If thero wcro 20 players present at the school tho wrong appellation wns used—"college" would be more appropriate. However; the Bench did not intend going into th* ethics of fire game. It was the same .is a Chine.. man' playing pack-a-pon. Accused were allowed fourteen days in which to pay, failing wlhicli they will b) sent to prison for one week.