BOOKMAKING CHARGES

Hokitika Guardian, 12 May 1925, Page 3

BOOKMAKING CHARGES

J I'ltY FAll.'S TO At.KKK. vrOKI.AND. -May 8 Ti e j„rv after four hours' retirement M-iualu failed to agree in the Supreme 1 t'liurt. trial of George FrancI for alle.aed book-making at W hanaatet. i '( he Cro"n Prose. utor said the aile.ruii.rn against accused "as that uidle at Whungarei. he "as opened hv polio ofi’n ors frequent inti ho.ols f roquontlv With ttr.aips of men around I him- He had also I con about the •streets with other men. and on certain 1 1• vs "as observed to be particularly l.usv. On February 7. accused was approached by Constable Bosley, •vho said to Idm: “Are you doing anything on the To TCuit-i races?’’ Accused answered: “Yes; and also on Gis-

sel. were an indication that accused was a bookmaker. or by volunteering something on the Gisborne rai e- be aas holding himself out as ready ; npihe bets. The constable made one l,el with a imed and reave a £5 note, for which he received £4 change. Ac-cu-e.i said: “1 hcVe are no polite ah :ut arc there.’" hater a Joliet cCllstid.le obtained a warrant, and arreslcil a cased, finding in his jrossOSsioti £VJ Us. The .) udge. in summing up. raid a case - f this kind was cm- of Mine , tderahlc importance. The law had re, ently been altered so that a man carrviiig on the business of a bookmaker might be brought before the Court and punished. If the only evidence against the man was that of an accomplice it was the duty of the Bench to warn the jury that it was nil safe i> convict on such evidence, hut the principal evidence in these cases uas that < f men who had made |. -. with the ac cused person. I here were records of a number of hets, and limilty there was that of the polico •officer. That was the strongest corroboration.

The jury also failed to agree in another lcok-making charge against a Dalmatian in connection with the Mathaknhe races.