THEY ESCAPE

NZ Truth, Issue 1145, 10 November 1927, Page 7

THEY ESCAPE

Racehorse Owners In

Luck's Way

(From "N.Z. Truth's" Special Auck-

land RepO

By twice declining to convict m cases of certain defendants guilty of illegal betting, Magistrate Hunt, of Auckland, has established a precedent that sponsors a future immunity from convictions for a specific section of the community. TN a recent police raid of a common •*• gaming-house, a large number of persons found on the premises were convicted and fined. ' . One of the defendants was the owner of a racehorse arid .the following morning pointed out to the S.M. that a conviction would , entail the disqualification of his horse. The conviction was repealed and the defendant— instead ■ of paying 40/- as a fine — was qrder.ed'to hand that amount into an unemployment fund. A few days ago, another racehorse owner pleaded guilty to illegal betting, tho offence being committed with a bookmaker. . ) Besides being an owner, defendant also held an amateur rider's license. The bench dismissed the case on the condition that the offendor paid £2 to the unemployment fund, which, of course, was readily acceded to. It would be interesting to know if a similar display of the court's leniencyi would meet an appeal from one, who — not. being a racehorse owner — might lose "his employment on account of a conviction.