BOOKMAKING CHARGE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 48, 25 January 1938, Page 2

BOOKMAKING CHARGE.

DENIAL OF ALLEGATION. SMALL FINE INFLICTED. Charged with carrying on the business of a bookmaker at Palmerston North on January 20, William Jones pleaded not guilty when he appeared before Mr J. L. Stout,' S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court, yesterday. Defendant was also charged with being in King Street for the purpose of betting. Detective-Sergeant Meiklejolin stated that at 10.15 a.m. on the second day of the Wellington races, he entered an hotel bar and saw a man studying a double chart. Defendant was standing in front of him, with a pad and pencil, and . thrust the pad hurriedly into his pocket when witness arrived. -Defendant appeared to make several attempts to get rid of it. and finally threw it on the floor of tho bar. Witness recovered it and also took possession of a double chart which the other man attempted to pass to_ defendant. Later, out. on the street,* when asked to be candid, defendant said that he had taken two 2s 6d “doubles.” He added that he had been betting in a small way for several weeks, but"was giving it, up. Defendant had refused to sign a statement to that effect! Defendant denied that he had been either in the hotel or the street for the purpose of betting. He stated that the chart was not his own, and that he had not made a shilling for j years at bookmaking. Sergeant O’Donnell gave evidence that horses whose names appeared on the double-chart and on the pad were engaged at the Wellington races. Defendant said he had not been bookmaking for fifteen years. Detective-Sergeant Meiklejohn stated that defendant had once been engaged in betting in a big way at Feilding, but was now only in a small way. 'Defendant said he had been asked to place the bets for two other men, and was ‘not bookniaking. Defendant was fined £5, with 10s costs, on the first charge, the second being dismissed.