THE YELLOW PERIL.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVI, Issue 10067, 8 February 1909, Page 4

THE YELLOW PERIL.

(Per Press Association.) Wellington, February 7. In tlio Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr Riddell, S.M., Now Bee, Joe Lin, and Kong Young were charged with having used their houses in Haining street as common gaining houses. The sale of pak-a-poo tickets was alleged also. The defendants, who pleaded not guilty, applied, through their solicitor (Mr Herdman). for a remand. This was granted. Wednesday nest was fixed as the day of hearinti, bail being allowed in the sum of £SO for each defendant. Eight Europeans and one Chinaman were in the houses as visitors at the time of the raid, and they were charged this morning with being found on premises which were common naming houses. The defendants were Henry"M'Laughlin (bookmaker), Peter Lapayne (wharf laborer), AI. Owens, Charles Stowell ilaborer). Thos. Williams (gardener), Thos. Hughes (wharf laborer), .Tames V. Vanborssum (carpenter), and Tim Jieern, of Haining street. All hut one of the Europeans pleaded guilty, though Vanborssum qualified his plea by saying that he had gone into the house to get a cigarette from a friend who was there. He did not know that the place was a gaming house. He thought it would have a notice on as provided by the Act. The Magistrate replied that this amounted to a plea of not guilty, whereupon defendant withdrew it, saying he wanted the case disposed of as he had work to go to to now, after having been out of work for sixteen weeks. His Worship then inflicted fines of 50s each on Stowelj, Vanborssum, M'Laughlin, Williams, and Hughes. Lapayne, who had been previously convicted in July last of a similar offence, was fined J33, and Court costs (7s) were added to all the fines. The option of seven da.ys' imprisonment was given in each instance. Owens (who was represented by Mr Dunn) pleaded not guilty, as he states that he can give a satisfactory explanation of his presence in the house. A similar plea was entered by Tim Keem. The hearing of these charges was adjourned until Wednesday next, bail being fixed in sums of £5 each.