THE GAMING LAWS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 2768, 7 August 1924, Page 3

THE GAMING LAWS.

A lengthy reserved judgment was delivered at Palmerston North last Monday by Mr J. L. Stout, S.M., in a ease in which Harold Charles Howes,. 31 years of age, was charged that on dates between July 7 and 9, 1921, being the keeper of a.public bar, he used it as a cummoii gaming house.'Howes was also charged that on July 8, he publicly exhibited a double card on the Wellington Win- ( ler jffurdles and Steeples. The magistrate said the evidence was that a constable was specially instructed to make bets with defendant in the bar. The evidence was inconclusive to prove the use of the bar as a basis for betting operations. The constable actually waited until defendant came on duty to relieve the proper and on another occasion, not finding defendant in the public bar, he sought linn in tliei private bar and made a bet with him there. The prosecution had noi tonvineingly proved localisation of a betting business in the bar. “1 llave dealt with the case on the assumption that defendant actually look the bets himself," sated Mi' biout,- “but there is a question which is not free of doubt —whether lie was noL merely putting money on wall a bookmaker at the request of tin- constable." Anoliicr question for decision was whether the handling of the double cards to the constable was publicly exmbiluig a document containing a nolihculion as lo betting' on a race. "A document is deemed publicly exhibited when openly, exhibited within view of persons in the hotel,” said Mr atout. “There is no doubt that a card was exhibited, but it was more in tue nature of a private exiubiUon on request, if a conviction were recorded then any person who happened to be in possession of a bookmaker's double card, and who showed it to a couple of friends at then - request hi a public street could be convicted although no other person saw the card.” ilotii informations were dismissed.