RAID ON GAMING HOUSE

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 2016, 16 August 1919, Page 3

RAID ON GAMING HOUSE

A BUSY TELEPHONE. ANSWERED BY DETECTIVE. How Detective Kemp kept to the ’phone at the house of William Pollock, ' bookmaker, and got incriminating evidence, was told in the Police Court at Dunedin on Wednesday last. The witness stated: “On July 12th I obtained a search warrant under the Gaming Act, to search No. 17, Carr Street. I was assisted by Detective Hall. We reached there about 1 p.m., and found Hopcraft in occupation of the house, Pollock and his wife being in Wellington. When we went into the hall there was a telephone, and alongside this a small table, and on the table were a number of sheets of paper relating to betting, an open watch, a race card of the last day of the Wellington meeting, with times of the races on it. While I was there the telephone rang several times. I answered it, and the first inquiry I had was ‘two on Pretty Bobby.’ The next inquired for a double 100 to 2i Rewi Poto and Gold Kip. The next for £2 on Bon Reve; next a double from Port Chalmers, 50 to 1. The next inquiry was for Paraoa and Altercation, 30 to 1, and on top of this came inquiry for a double, Calma and Gold Kip, and two more on Cynic and two other doubles. Between 1 p.m., "when I took the ’phone, and 1.30 p.m., all these bets wore inquired for, which will give the Court some idea of. the ■volume of business. On the sheet of paper there were for the three days’ meeting 19 entries of tote betting first day, 20 for the second, and for the third day, exclusive of bets offered me, there w r erc two. The entries of betting for the three days recorded amounts varying from 10s to £3. Also there was on the table a list of 31 assumed names. We went to Hoperoft’s room and took possession- of several books relating to straight betting and double betting,’ showing a great volume of business. Hope roll is an accountant by profession, but has chosen to give up his legitimate profession for an illegitimate calling. He has not been long in the business. He entered into partnership with Pollock some weeks ago, and on the 3rd July (hoy jointly banked £SOO in the Bank of Australasia. Pollock sent twelve wires from IVellington to Hoperoft, under the name of “Williams to Williams,” advising him of the state of the bets he had made in Wellington, so. that Hoperoft should not overlay them. Hoperoft sent five wires to Pollock. All wires, backward and forward, were signed ‘Williams.’

“On the 14th July (two days after the raid) Hopcroft ordered 200 ‘double’ charts, and on (he 18fh July 400 ordered and 250 cards ‘business as usual,’ and 2,550 showing the post office box used. Pollock has several agents in the country, 14 in all. Ho has over 400 regular customers throughout the country. For the three days of the Wellington meeting he was struck three limes (taking out £250), and yet he showed a profit of £250. He is one of the leading bookmakers of New Zealand, and docs an enormous amount of business.” Pollock was lined £IOO for occupying premises and keeping them as a common gaming house. Hopcroft was lined £SO for a similar offence.