BETTING CASES.

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 February 1909, Page 4

BETTING CASES.

. _+. BOOKMAKERS FINED.

[BY TKLEGKAIHI-rat PRESS ASSOCIATION

WELLINGTON, This Hay. \t the Magistrate's Court yesterday Harry Fenwick, who described hmiself as a bookmaker, and who was defemk-d bv Mr Kit/gibbon, pleadal •-•N„t guilty" to a charge of having betted on the Miranur racecourse' with an infant at the last raw meetin,. The -infant" turned out to t>e a strapping Maori lad. 18i years ol nuo His evidence was that he went o'ul to the ra.'.'s on .lannary 21. and saw Ihe defendant "railing the odds ,„ ,i.e rin-'. He # ,v(l defendant ss. and asked him f»r a iieket . m a race horse named Billy «n th • last race lint one. Mr Kii/L'il.hoii said (he defence to ili,. prosecution was a straightoiit denial that tho defendant had any knowledge of an v such be I having ben made by him, Conns.'! submitted that bookmakers were recognised fjv the law, and in cases where they took all reasonable precautions and questioned persons whom they suspect ~,i of being under age, if any offence was imilted it was of a purely i.vlini.-a! character. The object of the ai'i. ii was submitted, was to pii\:.|il helling with infants in "tote shops" and "ii the public streets. The amis, d. Harry r'enwick, stated oil oalll that he invariably inquired of the persons who desired to bet with him, if he sus|K>itcd them of being under age ; and indeed, not very ioiig ago, when he had a doubt about a young age. and questioned him. the •infant" became incused and. taking off his coat, offered to ti t'lil him.

His Worship said tlio penalty fur this offence was ;i severe one, as in the discretion i>f ill'' magistrate Iho offender mi-lii be (ine<l £IOO. I>elYmlant would lie lined £5 with costs (£4 Is 9.1.) In n-gard to ;i similar charge Brought against "Bob" [flutter, Mr Fitzgibbon, win. appear,.! for defendant, said lliat after his Worship's dceision in I'Vinviok's r,-i>.- he would (infer a plea of "Guiltv." Defendant was lined £5. with £2 5s costs.