CAULFIELD CUP CASE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 322, 21 December 1910, Page 3

CAULFIELD CUP CASE.

A few .weeks ago we referred to the fact that Mr G. Otway. a well-known and highly respected resident of Waikato, had suffered the indignity of a prosecution at Te Kuiti court for a breach of the gaming law in organising a shilling sweep on the Caulfiekl Cup! The Magistrate, finding there had been a technical breach, recorded a conviction. The breach was admilted by Mr Otway, who, however, complains that not only did the police inform him, when questioned, that they saw no harm in the proceeding, but" actually took part in the sweep. He contends, with considerable justification, that the police should have warned him of the risk- he was running instead of assisting him to break the law, and then proceeding against him afterwards. This is the tuimnoii sense view, but the law does not always admit of its application, and no "doubt this was the trouble in the case under revew. The matter was brought under the notice of the Minister for Justice by Mr Otway, and also by Messrs Jennings and Greenslado, with a request that the conviction should be wiped out, but the Minister's reply just to hand, states that he can see no reason why he should interfere in the matter. We were always under the impression that it was the duty of the police to, as far as possible, prevent breaches of the law, but apparently this is erro-neous.—-Waikato "Argus,"