BETTING WITH BOOKMAKERS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2924, 18 August 1925, Page 2

BETTING WITH BOOKMAKERS.

MAGISTRATE'S COMMEXTS

Xelsoii, August 17

Reserved decision \v;is given by Air. T. K. Ma unsell, S.M., to-day in the charge against W. 11. Mosey of using premises in Trafalgar street as a common gaming house. Defendant was convicted and lined .(MO.

The Magistrate said that there were race cards relating to three different race meetings in defendant's possession, lie also had a considerable >um of money and what a constable (-ailed “betting slips." These slips contained the names of various men and horses, which the constable said, had won races shortly before, and there were various sums of money in pounds, and shillings opposite the names of ihe horses. These slips defendant tried In swallow. Defendant made lids with a total stranger. that did not indicate that the bets were casual. When ashed if he was acting as principal or agent, he said that he was acting as agent tor Maxwell. On the premises was a copv of the “New Zealand Referee containing a list of acceptances tor race meetings held about that particular time. When a man offered to bet with Maxwell in defendant's presence Maxwell said: “Give it to Moxev he is my agent; and Moxev did not deny that lie was Maxwell’s agent. If he was acting for Maxwell the evidence was clearly sufficient to prove Maxwell to he a bookmaker, a~ a bookmaker was detun'd by the Act as including a. book-maker's agent. “Defendant works on the premises in question for his father as a fruiterer," continued the Magistrate, “and it is proved to my satisfaction that he was using the premises as a common gaining house." Counsel for defendniil asked for leniency.

The Magistrate said that defendant was liable to three months’ imprisonment, Dut lie supposed that if Magistrates imposed imprisonment for cases ot this sort juries would be more Dullli t<> convict ihan they were at present. “The Government,” proceeded the Magistrate, “dues m>i seem to have I mind a natural enemy for the parasites. An ;imazing feature about the matter i„ that the fellows who he with them du not seem to be able to realise that if the chances arc equal .bookmakers would not be nourishing. They continue to live in affluence : uni render in> social service whatever. Diit 1 suppose their customers arc suffering from an incurable disease amt that is the evil of it. 1 will not commit defendant to imprisonment. 1 should have imposed a smaller penally but for the fact that defendant endeavoured to destroy the evidence id his guilt by attempting to swallow the betting slips, and in indicting a penally 1 lmvc no doubt his principal will pay the line."

Counsel: That is not so. The Magistrate: Very well, he is lined .0-10.