GAMBLING SCHOOL

Hokitika Guardian, 9 July 1930, Page 7

GAMBLING SCHOOL

41 CHINESE ARRESTED

THREE-COR NERED ARC ITJHENT

IN COURT.

AUCKLAND, July 7. Swiffly. discreetly and efficiently ten detectives raided Auckland’s -Chinatown last- evening and caught a gambling school in full swing. Fortyone Chinese, placidly playing their popular fan tan and pakapoo, wore arrested. All appeared before Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M., at the Police Court this morning, and Ah Soon, charged with keeping a common :glining house, was fined £75, while the others were fined £2 each for being found on the premises.

After the roll hod been called, it was found that all save four were present. They were a bewildered lot, some smiling, some nervously twisting their, hats. Mr Haigh appeared for the lot, and pleaded guilty. Chief-Detective Hammond described the raid. He ,said the men had been caught in the basement of the Chinese MuioillC .Lodge i'OOins In. Grey Avenue, They were playing in ah jong, fan tan and pakapoo. Heavy sums of money had been lost during the games, and there had been complaints by some of the Chinese. Ah Soon, who was charged with keeping the gaming house, took all the responsibility. ’•

Mr Haigh said that the place where the men . were found was a restaurant. The Chinese congregated there on Sundays. It was regarded as a sort of social club. This was the first time All Soon had been before the Court. The men. were merely playng a game amongst themselves, and it was really, not a serious matter. Nobody was going to foe scandalised or depraved by the acts of the Chinese. “I understand the detectives have been there before, and watched the Chines© playing their games,” said Mr Haigh. “The Chinese were not even given a warning.”

1 Chief-Detective Hammond: We have got to find out what is going on. Mr Ilaigh mentioned that the maximum fine was £IOO. He asked that the Magistrate deal with Ah iSobn as lightly as possible, as it was his first offence.

The Chief Detective: If we raid the place in a month’s time, there will foe another keeper running the place. ' Mr Ha igh: I wish the Chief Detective would keep quiet and let me'tell my story. He has had one say, and will be able to have another when I have finished. There is no need for him to have several. Mr Hunt: I know what to do with them, Mr Hammond. This place is run by a syndicate, and it’s not an eating-house, 'Mr Haigh; That is contrary to fuct. Mr Hunt: Well, fan tan and pakapoo were played here, and that’s not allowed. There were no Europeans

there, so I will treat the case fairly lightly. All Soon is fined £75. Mr Haigh: May ho have time to pay, sir? Mr Hunt and the Chief Detective (in unison): No! They’ll get the money all right. Mr Haigh: But, surely, your Worship, if von allow a European fortyeight hours to pay, surely

Mr Hunt and the Chief Detective broke out together again, the latter persisting that the place was not an eating-house. Mr Haigh: There is no evidence of that. J’-st the Chief Detective’s statement. Quite unreliable. Mr Hunt: That’s enough. Don’t talk. The Chief Detective sa.id that all forty of the men who were caught in the place had pleaded guilty. They were all working men. They had been bailed out last nriht in the sum of £5. Some had paid their own bail, and others had bad it paid for them. The Magistrate fined each man £2 and costs: so the Chinese after all got a dividend of £3 after their £3 investment last night. In one of the small rooms off the main Court, they clamoured for their money while detectives paid out from a solid little cash box. It was just like a “tote.”