POLICEMAN’S BET

Hokitika Guardian, 30 July 1930, Page 6

POLICEMAN’S BET

A BOOKMAKING CONVICTION

,By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, July 29

, Three charges of carrying on business as a bookmaker in _ Wellington were brought against Stanley William Findlay in the Supreme Court to-day before Chief Justice Myers and a jury. He was found guilty, and was remanded until Friday for sentence.

Mr Macassey said that, the offences occurred on April 19, 21 and 26. Two officers visited the. Te Ar© hotel, where, one of them asked if he could place a bet. The accused was in a room adjoining the bar, and he came- out. He took a bet of 10s on a horse at Tauherenikau races, and also on other horses. Subsequently the accused was arrested and a substantial amount of money, betting slips,, race books, arid account hooks were taken by the police.

Constable Campion said that) he visited the Te Aro Hotel on April 19, and entered the private bar, where he saw Findlay, and made a bet, of 10s Dainty Day - was., made a 3.55 p.m. seqriently had other betting transactions with the accused. To Mr Leicester (for accused), witness said that he went to the hotel for no other purpose than to get a bet on with the accused.. The bet on Dainty Day w-a smade, at 3.55 p.m. Air Leicester pointed out that that was 19 minutes after the race , had, started. .

Witness said lie .reckoned on the race taking place about 4-o’clock. He. did not know the race Tad taken .place, at the time, and that lie did,riot get a run for his money. On. April 26, witness went to the hotel again, and on a signal from him Detective Murray and his officers followed. The accused wa|s arrested. Constable Lockie deposed to visiting the hotel. He tried to get a bet on with Findlay, who refused, saying that he did not bet with strangers. Detective Murray said that he went to the hotel on /April 26, where he saw the accused, and arrested him on a warrant. He had £42 in notes arid £1 11s 5d in change. A quantity of betting material was seized. ' The accused did not go into the witness box. /(Air Leicester submitted that the <s©wnsought to .prove tlie betting material found in .the room b'elonge’d to. the \accused because the ’writing on some of the papers the accused’s’ signature in/" a property bodk at., the police station. Was it likely that a bookmaker would accept a bet 19 minutes after . the‘ race was run?. If he did, lip would be regarded, as a very, honest, ( CWinscl quoted tlie Oxford ITictioii/ary as to the meaning of' 'betting, (Which was to tlie effect that it;’ was : a 'wage' on, sin injeertairi; event; In*'regard ; to the bet ’ nil Itaiii'ty Day,’' Kdurged that the raf;e : had Taken place,so that it .was’ not a /wagrir on something uncertain. _ ln regard’ to other bets, there was little' corroboration. No part of. the niq-tprial found . actually in the possession Of ' accused. The use of the. room was open to other people in tho hotel. /■ His Honour briefly summed/rip,7and the jury, after aij absence of about forty minutes, found the accused guilty. He /Was remanded till Friday for sentence;