RACECOURSE REGULATIONS

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 30, 29 October 1921, Page 9

RACECOURSE REGULATIONS

ALLEGED TRESPASS AT MASTERTON.

By Telegraph—Special Correspondent. Ma.sterton, October 28.

That 'being a prohibited person he committed a breach of the regulations of the Masterton Racing Club by attending a recent race meeting was the charge preferred against William Powell, tobacconist, in the Magistrate s Court today Some months ago Powell was convicted and fined .£5O for keeping a common gaming house, Por tho defence, Mr. W. Noble contended that the regulations were ultra vires in that they were unreasonable. The same conditions governed these resolutions as governed the by-laws, which had to be reasonable to be valid. These regulations were unreasonable, he submitted, because they prohibited any person who had 'been convicted of a crime under the Crimes Act, without fixing the period of limitation. For instance., a man who had been convicted of bigamy 25 vears ago could be ordered off a course Itgiil prosecuted. Powell had left the course immediately he had been requested to do so. He had gone there in ignorance of the regulations, and had. neve* been notified that he was The (Mr. S. L. 1. Tiee, S.M.) reserved his decision. . A similar charge was preferred against Arthur William Witt. Mr. Noble said the accused, who was only 20 years of a„e had served a sentence of two years reformative treatment, for theft of a motor-car at Napier in August. 1919. fie obtained' a remission of six months on account of good conduct Counsel contended that Witt was now thoroughly reformed, and had no idea that he was excluded from attendance nt a race meeting. By section 452 of the Crimes Act he was fully restored to civil rights, and it was submitted that the regulations of the Mnsterten. Racing Club were in conflict with this section of the Act. As a member of the general public, accused had a right to go on. to the course, in the absence of a notice to the contrary. Decision was reserved.