BOOKMAKERS RAIDED

Hokitika Guardian, 11 June 1926, Page 3

BOOKMAKERS RAIDED

MAXIMUM. PENALTY IMPOSED. CHRISTCHURCH, June 7. When Detective-Sergeant J. B. Young and Detectives J. Bickerdike and E. Hade raided 171, Madras street, on Saturday morning, they found ft bookmaking business in full swing. They arrested Marius Sheridan and Charles F. F.earon, who were running the place, and seven others Who wore on tho premises. This morning, in the Police Court, Sheridan and Fearon were each fined the maximum penalty of £IOO bv Afrj IT. Y. Widdowson, S.M. The others, with one exception, were fined £2. The- names of the nine accused were, .Marius Sheridan, aged 3(5 years, commission agent, 32 Colenso street, Sumner; Charles Frederick Fearon. aged 22 years, commission agent; Percy Chick. 21 years, baker; Harry Arthur Sutcliffe, 31 years, merchant; George Henry Adcock. 3(5 years, baker; Frank Reid. 32 years, labourer; George Turner, fi‘_> years, cook ; George Laslimoro, 44 years, labourer; ami Harold Nelson

Elvv, aged 59 years, piano tuner. Sheridan was charged that being the occupier of promises situated at 171 .Madras street, be used the same as a common gaming house and carried on the business of a bookmaker. Fearon was charged with assisting in tho conduct of a gaming house. Afr 0. S. Thomas appeared for both accused and pleaded guilty. SUBSTANTIAL PROFIT.

Chief-Detective Gibson asked for a maximum penalty of £IOO. The accused had, he said, been doing an enormous business. When the place was raided at 11.15 o’clock on Saturday morning the accused had already taken 143 bets on tho day’s races, totalling £65 7s (id and each man had £SO on him when arrested. The records and books seized showed that from November Ist last year they had taken in all £1214, and their winnings were £920 10s (Id.

“It isn’t any good heating about the bush,” said Air Thomas, “and the offence is admitted. The figures brought forward by the Chief-Detec-tive. however, are not admitted. Tho men say they are real I v in excess of

their takings as there is some error in the hooks. It is ‘difficult to say anything in favour of the. accused, hut as far as hook making is concerned, it is notorious that it is being carried on from one end of New Zealand to the other. Evidently the public regards it as quite a legitimate business and the law has not the support of the people in this respect. ’l‘liere is only one thing to he done and that is to license bookmakers and make them pay a fee. THE ONLY REMEDY. ‘ Some of the difficulty is caused by the inconvenience of tbo totalisntor,” wo 11 ( on Mr Thomas. “The people have to go out to the racecourse to get money on the totalisator, but if it was in Victoria square or Cathedral square perhaps the bookmakers would go out of business. There are. too. a number iif betting men who are barred from attending at racecourses, and they will make use of bookmakers. There is no question that bookmaking is universal from North Cape to Rlutl. so it seems that tho only thing is to make

them pay a license lee.” Tile bench: I see that some magistrates are sending them to prison. Air Thomas: And some are letting them off with a £5 fine in the south. “These eases appear to he in a different category from some we have had lately, who were only small men.” said the magistrate. “Sheridan and Fearon will each be lined £100.”

The remaining seven accused. Chick, Sutcliffe. Adcock. Reid, Turner. Lashmore and Elv.v. were then charged with being on the premises of a common gaming house. AH pleaded guilty except Adcock, for whom Af.r Thomas entered n plea of not guilty. Chief-Detective Gibson said that all these men had been found on the premises of 171, Madras Street, when the raid took place. Tho maximum penalty wits £•*>. OBLIGING A FRIEND.

Air Thomas said that Sutcliffe’s case was one of the gravest msifortuno. He was interested in horses, and had been asked by a friend to put P's on a horse at the races, but it being a cold day lie had decided that he would go to'a football match. Then be remembered that he had to put the money on a horse for his friend, and went to 171, .Madras Street, just in time to be caught by the police. “ The revenue lias already done pretty well this morning." said Mr Thomas in asking lor leniency.

•• And the horse didn’t win.” put in the chief-detective.

“ Each of the accused is fined 40s, said the magistrate.

In regard to Adcock Afr Thomas said that lie was a linker and wanted assistance in his hnkehonse. He knew Chick, another baker, and saw him in Afadras street on Saturday morning. Tfe followed him into the gaining house to speak to him about taking some work in his bakehouse, and was then arrested.

Adcock gave evidence to this effect and the charge against him was dismissed.