BETTING CHARGES.

Hokitika Guardian, 19 December 1924, Page 4

BETTING CHARGES.

HAWKER FIXED £45. CHRISTCHURCH, Dec. 17. Before Hr Wyvcrn Wilson S.M.. in the Magistrate's Court, yesterday, Joseph Xolira. a middle-aged Assyrian, (Mr IV. J. Hunter), pleaded not guilty to a charge of having loitered in Cathedral square for the purpose of betting. He also pleaded not guilty to further charges of having entered into bets at totalizator odds with two men. Constable A. W. llonev. who was recently transferred to Christchurch from Auckland, said lie had been instructed by the Inspector of Police to detect betting. On Friday morning he saw the defendant approach several people congregated near the United Service Hotel, and take something from them, and then write on the back of a I'acc-card. Witness watched him for about an hour, and then lie went up to him and made a 5s bet with him eji .Suggestion. Xolira. told t.vit.'ncs.s lie was o.dy an agent, but accepted the bet, and .said that if the horse, which lie had backed, won. he would “pay out” that night in the Square at < .1)0 o’clock. The horse won. and witness was in the Square" at the appointed time, and Xolira paid him 8s Cd.

Chief-Detective T. Gibson: You were instructed. I bcleive, to detect lietting? -Yes. "Who by?—The Inspector of Police. Constable .T. A. Anderson, who had recently been transferred from the West Coast to Christchurch, said that he, 100, had been detailed by the Inspector of Police to detect betting. He made a bet with Xolira on the horse Suggestion, and collected the dividend that night at about 7.00 o'clock in company with Constable Honey. Cross-examined by Mi' Hunter, witness said that Xolira told him he was an acting agent for Whitta. tobacconist, and when witness made the bet with him, Xolira went into A\ hitta's shop, near-by. and then came out, and said that everything was all right. Mr Hunter said Xolira had other convictions against him. but had not been before the Court for eight years. He was not a bookmaker, and had never at any time been convicted of bookmaking, but because of his previous convictions he was not allowed on racecourses. Counsel contended that Xolira was not loitering ill the Square for the purposes of betting. He had a good hawking business on the A\ est Coast, where he was respccleo. Xolira. in evidence, said he came to Christchurch from the Coast partly for the purpose of seeing the fvhow and to do some business. He saw Anderson whom he knew as "the A\est Coast constable.” He told Anderson that he had £5 on .Suggestion and £5 on Fool’s Paradise. Anderson told him a sorry tale, lie said his wife was sick, and he therefore could not go to the races, but he asked witness to let him and his friend Honey, who also “talked sorry for himself.” share his investment, "kittle did I dream,” he said, “that my friend, a policeman—two policemen—were setting a trap for me. I thought it was beneath their dignity.” “Are you an agent for "Whitta?” asked Mr Hunter.

“Me! "Whitta! Agent for him! "What the devil you talking about ?” “Your client evidently Iclt displeasure at- the suggestion that he was a bookmaker’s agent.” said the Magistrate, when the laughter had subsided. Several West Coast people gave evidence in favour of the defendant, and said his character was good. The .Magistrate said there was nothing In lead him to suppose that the constables had put up a perjured tale. In his opinion the defendant was ail agent and was tno sort of man the racing authorities liked excluded from their courses. The worst feature of fh<' case was that the defendant was a tout for a bookmaker, in a large, way. but who was frightened to come out in the open. dll the lirsl charge Xolira was couviitcd and lined and •.nsls.‘and on each ol the ntlier two charges lie was convicted and lined £lO and costs.