A SUNNI DAY

NZ Truth, Issue 1174, 31 May 1928, Page 8

A SUNNI DAY

Clouds of Doubt Clear Away (Prom "N.Z. Truth's" Auckland Rep.) On the eve of his proposed departure for Australia, Mohamed Ali Sunni (31), the well-known wrestler, made an impromptu appearance before an Auckland audience. MOT m a professional capacity, but *■" nevertheless "on the mat" at the city police court when he came into holts with the police m connection with a raid on some premises m National Chambers, Swanson Street. Sunni was charged with being found on premises kept for the purpose of gaming, while the proprietor, Phillip George Hugh Mulligan (43), Avas charged with keeping a common gaming-house. For Sunni, Lawyer Allan Moody pleaded not guilty, and putting Sunni

m the witness-box, secured a legal "Call," Magistrate McKean dismissing the charge. Sunni's presence on the premises was explained by the theory that Muliigari had been engaged by the wrestler, who was unable to write, to do certain business transactions and correspondonce on behalf of the wrestler. In reply to Sub-Inspector McCarthy's inquiries concerning a number of betting slips found on Sunni by the police, the wrestler admitted that one was m receipt of a single .bet he had taken himself, while the others he was holding for feliow, boarders. "How did you come to have all these slips?" asked the inspector. "They trusted me with them." Did you collect "money for the slips?— lf any of them gave, it to met ' ' * Hie Worship: It looks as though they were the execution of. a commission for someone else. In amplification of the explanation that his client anticipated leaving for Australia within a couple of days of his visit : to Mulligan's office, and had even then arrangements m hand for a match m Sydney or Melbourne, counsel read from a letter recently received by Sunni from a friend m Melbourne. An extract was as follows: '"Give Koalman a miss the first time . . ." OFF TO AUSTRALIA "You are going to take on Koalman?" counsel queried. . "I have taken him on before and beaten; him." And you think you can beat him again, I suppqse? — Oh, yes. His Worship: . "What arrangements had you macle f,or going to Australia? — I was 'going to send a cable, "The excuse may be true," remarked the bench, In dismissing the charge; "there is no evidence to say that he was there for the, purpose of betting." In the charge against Mulligan, Lawyer Terry pleaded guilty.'. Elaborate, book-keeping material was pro-; duced by Senior-Sergeant Cummings, who had conducted the raid. < Referring his worship: to the contents of the books, the police inspector inferred that Mulligan was DOOkmakingr m a big way. Attention? was drawn to daily entries, m some instances, of 100 bets. "In the Shade" being a . particular favorite ' during a recent meeting. * Counsel, m persisting that his client was hot .. in.-,the category of "big business," contended that there" were police officers l iv court whom he was sure could speak of seven or eight "bookies" known to them to be m a decidedly bigger way than his client. Taking into account the fact that accused had pleaded guilty, his worship imposed a fine of £60. A previous conviction for the same offence having been recorded against Mulligan. In an application for the return of his client's books, counsel .remarked: "It is the usual practice, your worship, and the police cannot instance a' case m which they have been forfeited. It will be a poor look-out for some of my client's clientele if the books are withhold." ■'.. The magistrate 'agreed.