BOOKMAKER CONVICTED.
A HAMILTON TOBACCONIST FINED £75.
Hamilton, December 4. A plea of not guilty was entered by Charles Jackson, tobacconist, of Hamilton (Air Strang), to a charge of keeping a common gaming house.
Detective Sweeney stated that Constable Monson, of To Aroha, acting under instructions, wrote to Jackson under the name of Alexander Brown, stating that he had heard Jackson was a bookmaker and asking for his terms and code. Jackson replied, giving his terms and his code. On receipt of this information Constable Monson sent two bets to Jackson, accompanied by money. The police raided .lackson's shop"and found a large number of documents, including betting cards, notes on racing and letters relating to racing. After the police case had been heard Mr. Strang said he did not propose to call evidence. The police relied largely on the documents produced, and the case depended mainly on the Court’s construction of those documents. He admitted that the documents gave rise to suspicion, but asked if the prosecution had proved that accused’s business place was a betting establishment.
The magistrate, Mr. Wyvern Wilson, said the document sent by Jackson to the Te Aroha police expressed clearly in his own handwriting that he was a bookmaker, while the betting cards and papers found at his shop showed that it was used for the purpose of betting. Accused would be convicted. The Magistrate observed that the position regarding betting on horse racing was somewhat anomalous because the law countenanced betting on the totalisator. There was a false notion in the minds of some persons that because they could bet on the totalisator they could bet with a bookmaker. There was a distinction, hpwever. The history of horse-racing showed that bookmaking had an evil influence on racing. The totalisator could never pull a horse or make a boy pull one. It was known with certainty that bookmakers had done so.
Accused was fined £75, in default two months’ imprisonment.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/MH19251210.2.21
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Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2973, 10 December 1925, Page 3
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325BOOKMAKER CONVICTED. Manawatu Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 2973, 10 December 1925, Page 3
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