EUCHRE TOURNEYS

Hokitika Guardian, 17 March 1928, Page 3

EUCHRE TOURNEYS

. 1 FURTHER CHARGES. ; FIVE CONVICTIONS WITHOUT PENALTY. CHRISTCHURCH, March 10. Further charges of breaches of the Gaming Act with regard to the rtu ning of euchre tournaments and whist drives were heard in the Lower Court yesterday. The eases had to do with the recent decision of the Supremo Court- with reference to euchre tournaments and whist, drives. Chief-Detective Carroll prosecuted and Mr E. D. Mosley, ,S.M. was o: the Bench. Reginald Stillwell, John Edward M a Izard, James 1.. Grihhcn. A. L. Bowden, Robert McLeod and Walter Harold Griffiths were charged with keeping a common gaming-house. The charges against Grihhen, McLeod and Mnlzanl. were in respect of the Hibernian Hall, and against Bowden and 1 Stillwell wiltli lVspect ten the Caledonian Hall. Mr F. J). Sargent appeared for tin first hve defendant’s, who pleaded guilty. Chief-Detective Carroll staled Dial the ease-, were on all lours with those about which there bad been so mud discussion. The conduct of both lialh had been all right. In one case tin attendance, bad been 1-10, anil in the other 70. He had no idea as 1o how the prizes compared with the receipts. Mr Sargent said that in the ease in which Stillwell was concerned, he had run a whilst drive. It had been he wild appeared in the test ease in which Mr W.vvern Wilson had held that the tournament* were legal. The particular section under which the information was brought was really meant u> cover betting proper, and the sooner it was altered the hotter. The Magistrate: If it hadn't been lor the Supreme Court ruling J would have agreed with you. Mr Sargent: The effect is that liy an order of the Supreme Court, the police could have the halls closed. The whole thing becomes farcical. I ask that your Worship treat the eases in the same manner as the previous one. Defendants were each convicted and discharged. A plea of “not guilty” was entered hy Walter Harold Griffiths (Mr W. F. Tracy) to a similar charge. Chief-Detective Carroll stated that the case was similar to the previous ones, only defendant had not run the euchre tournaments for personal gain. Mr Tracy stated that the man in the street knew that there was no igius- " miny attached to the ease. The whole community had heoii surprised to learn that it had been a wholesale debauch of illegality. Everyone played the game and it was apparent that even the Prime Minister knew something about it. Defendant was ihe .secretary o ft he Addington Burgesses' Association, for w 1 1 icill body he bad run the tournaments. Fie was a church warden and felt the matter deeply. "It seems to me that even the ’Varsity tournaments, where athletes compete for medals, come under the Act,” added counsel. Ihe .Magistrate: The decision lias been a very illuminating one. both to the legal profession and to the public. Mr Tracy: The mention of ’Varsity! tournaments makes people, realise tHo i iiei’cs.vitv of altering the Act. Th Magistrate: f can see the difficulty in these eases. Mr Tracy: From our point of view I can see the profits. Detective-Sergeant .T. B. Young gave evidence of having visited the St. Mary’s Schoolroom, Addington, where the tournaments had been conducted. He produced a statement in which defendant stated that the proceeds had gone to the Association, which distributed them to various charities. The Magistrate dismissed the information under Section 92 of the Jus tires of the. Pence Act..