POLICE COURT.

Gisborne Times, Volume VI, Issue 264, 16 November 1901, Page 4

POLICE COURT.

(Before Hr \V. A. Barton, S.M.) j Two offenders for this offence were dealt with in the usual manner. l'or riding bicycles on the footpath in Childers road on November Ist, Gordon J Witty and Frederick Bounce were each j fined 10s and costs. , A CASK DISMISSED. ] Wilhelm Theodore Larsen was charged with on the 7th November, in premises known as the British Empire Hotel, allowing beer to be supplied to William Solomon, or Burton, a boy under the age ' of 13 years. Mr W. D. Lvsnar appeared for defendant. Sergeant Norwood, in opening, stated the case arose out of the recent action against Bedward. William Solomon stated ho understood his age to be 10 years. On Thursday, 7th inst., the day he was sick, he went with a bill./ to the British Empire Hotel. He saw the barmaid, to whom he gave the billy and fid for the oeer, which was supplied. On going back to the bakehouse he met a boy named Bob Clarke on the road. By Mr Lvsnar: When he asked the barmaid for the beer, in reply to her questions, witness stated he was over 13. He. told her that his father would not allow him to go to work till he was 13, and that he had been at Erskine’s for Id months. Ho remembered telling the barmaid that tiie bakers at Erskine’s had sent him for the beer. He told the barmaid that he was over 13 ' because he thought she would not give him the beer. He did not remember seeing Goldsmith, the barmaid, or Thorensen in the hotel. Bobcrt Clarke gave evidence as to meeting Solomon with a billy going into Erskine’s from Peel street. The billy contained liquid like beer. Constable Doyle deposed he went in with Solomon to” the temporary premises of the British Empire Hotel, where Solomon identified the barmaid as the person who supplied him with the beer on the previous Thursday. The barmaid did not : say anything, although the boy spoke loud enough for her to hear. G. J. Johnstone, Registrar of Births, produced the entry of the birth of one William Solomon, born sth September. 1890. registered 16th October. Mr Lysnar contended that the information did not allege that the liquor had been sold by some person on behalf of Mr Larsen, and the information did not state that the lad was apparently under the age of 13. There was no evidence at all as to the boy’s age. The defendant was not liable to conviction, as he did not allow the sale, it being contrary to his written and verbal orders to his servants. For the defence, evidence was given by the barmaid, Frederick Goldsmith (barman), Charles Thoronson, and Thomas Edwards, the two last-mentioned stating that from their knowledge of the boy Solomon they deemed him to be thirteen years of age. 'Wilhelm Theodore Larsen, licensee of the British Empire Hotel, stated that ho had given special instructions to his sorvants not to supply liquor to children under thirteen years of age, and had a printed notice posted up to that effect, lie did not know anything about the drink being sold until the lad was in the hospital. His Worship said that, in the face of the evidence for the defence, there was not sufficient to support a prosecution in the case. If the barmaid and .the other witnesses for the defence were to be believed, reasonable precautions wore taken to ascertain the lad’s age before the liquor was supplied. His Worship considered it would bo wise, however, for the defendant in the future not to supply liquor to a child where there was the slightest doubt at all as to its ago. The information was dismissed. ALLEGED TOTE BETTING. Noil Tenson and Calbert William Vincent were charged at the Police Court yesterday afternoon with, on the 24th October, at Makavaka racecourse, having entered into a bet with one Jackson, of Gisborne, the amount of which was dependent on the tot-alisator results. Sergeant Norwood stated that no less than 25 offences took place on the racecourse at the time in question, but only one information was laid, Houi-y Jackson, laborer, stated that he Knew defendants. Witness did not have any betting transaction at all with either of them.

Detective Nixon deposed that ho saw tho two accused standing close to the totaiisator house shortly after the second race. He watched their movements lioforo tho third race started. Tenson had a race programme in his hand. Ho counted fifteen persons speaking to Tenson. On two occasions he saw something passed to Tenson, who put it into his pocket. After the third race he took up a position where he had a full view of tho defendants. He counted twenty people who talked with defendants, including tho last witness, who gave Tenson something tvhicii ho put in his pocket. Shortly before tho fourth race witness went up to the defendants. He spoke to Vincent first, and said ho would like to have a look at the cards which ho held in his hand, 'Witness had the two defendants under his observation during tln-eo races, and they did not go near tho totaiisator. On tho card produced was tho name “Jackson,” with the amount 2s and tiie figuro 6, witness understanding this to be the method of laying totaiisator odds.

John McNieol Gumming, secretary of the Poverty Bay Turf Club, also gave evidence. Mr Jones said that the information laid was for entering into a bet with one Jackson. Jackson had been produced, and stated that there had been no bet. Tho figures on the cards were cabalistic, and, no matter what inferences were drawn, were not proved to mean anything. His Worship said that, although tiie evidence in the ease looked suspicious, there was not sufficient to support a conviction. The information would be dismissed.