“TOSSING THEM.”

Otaki Mail, 20 December 1922, Page 4

“TOSSING THEM.”

POLICE RAID TWO-UP "SCHOOL." quiet bbtbeat tile •■ "willows. • . twentv -eight £s fines. The game of chance known among he ".sporting" fraternity as ".two- j ip" apparently still has its devotees ljicl on a rucent Sunday the police .mule a little-Jnfoj'mal ( " all al :i s P ot on he old Bhaunou-Foxtou Road, at Shanion, where the '"school," so it was J stated, seemed to bo doing good busij I UPSS. -. A.s a result of the round-up, no few- i . or than 28 informations were laid and a.s a consequence the players, or alleged ; participants were to face Mr J. L. Stout, S.M., in the Police Court on Monday at Palmerslon North, to show just cause why they should not be punI ished for their alleged misdemeanours. The names of the accused were:— Robert Buckman, James Caldwell, ibdin Syducv Shaw, William Edward Alioway. Lionel Ulrio Buckman, Martin .Tiuues Curran, Harry Murdoch, Owen j Hannifan, Marius Christensen, - John I Allan MeEachcn, Alick Burr. Chongj Pok, Henry Charles Young, Frederick j Buckman, Stewart Miller, Richard Sands. Thomas King, William Piekard, Xorimui P. Gill, Allied Oodlin, Eugene] G. Oakley, John King, Alfred Edward Trcmewan, Patrick Cadagon, James , i McDonald, Thomas Kins, Harold Stan- ! ley Burrows and John Miller. | Detective-Sergeant Quirke conducted the case for the and Mr A. I M. Ouglcy appeared i'dr the defendants. 1 Eaeli defendant pleaded not guilty.

The Game in Progress. ] Dotcctivc-Sergcani Quirke sialed ! thai on Sunday afternoon, November , Ulitli, the defendants with others were j playing the game of "two-up" at | Shannon on the old Foxtou-Shnnnon I Road. 'the game had been carried on j between the hours of 3.30 and ij.3o p.m., during which time the police hud watched the proceeding's. The police would be able to swear to the identity of the persons charged and could show that a number of them had actively participated/during the afternoon. The information was laid under sectit'Ji S of the Gaming Act, the provisiohsfof which were very wide. The road in question was still used by the public. and came within the definition of a

public place. A Bird's-Eyc-View. Constable McGregor, of Shannon, said that on (he day in question lie was in company with Constable Shannon on the old Shaunon-Foxton Koad, about half a mile from the town. Witness was concealed, lie noticed a crowd of abqut 70 men wdio had assembled. Wit-. ness saw coins being'tossed and there was obviously some '-interest" in the proceedings as, witness could hear the i participants calling out for bets. Such] phrases as "dollar head-'' and "half? a dollar wanted here;" etc.. were quite audible. Witness was only about 70 j '- yards from the gathering and could ] !see who were playing. , Witness men- ' Honed the names of the participants he ! ' had seen taking an active, part in the .process of "spinning them." and pas-, sing money. At 5.30 witness and-his colleague made their presence known but the crowd did not deem it advisable to wait for an interview and scut- | tered. - ' ; To Mr-.Ongley: The road in question |w as not extensively used but people often used it to go down to the willows. Witness said that from where he was 'concealed with Constable Shannon, he 1 had a full view of the thing and to make doubly sure he had a pair of j powerful held glasses. He had his I note-book with him and made the enI tries on that day. Corroborative evidence -was given by Constable Shannon, stationed at Shannon. " Where Mouey Fails. Norman Dalziell, a ltj-year-old boy living in- the vicinity, said he remem bered the incident and was "there for ! a while" himself. The crowd wei e j playing "two-up." He went there be- » cause ho saw a crowd, lie knee; most ; of the residents but it was a long time j since the event. ■ Detective-Sergeant Quirke: 'lt is : only a month ago. —i can't -quite remember. Mr Quirke: It has gone from your memory since the occurrence then/" : "Open Air Treatment." • James Caldwell, a flax-cutter, said I he wont down to the crowd at 3.30 on ! Sunday and remained there for one ami j three-quarter hours. j "I did not have a bet or a spin on

that particular day." said the witness. .\Er Quirkc: What did you go down ' there for'? —I just went down the-TOad ) for a little open air treatment for my- ! self. j Well, what did you do there?—l might go ik-hing. [ You might go anywhere to fish or to commit suicide. . . . Tell me what you were doing on thai day.—l did not bet. ! want to bring this charge against you without grounds?—The police have their case arid are going on suspicion, i Defendant Cadngon also gave evi- i dence. during the course of which hs j ••admitted having "oncJbet." Shaw denied that he had had a bet. j The Magistrate said that the police had acted earefullj in the matter ana , had not charg d .-. whSre there was an element of suspicion as to his idea-! tity. His Worship reviewed the evi-' dence of £haw and Caldwell, to the ef- | feel that at all events they were pre- I sent at the gat tiering. Tie did nor I think it would le fair •■• the others if j Hack defendant -.• as fined £3 and co.-.ts. On lie application of Mr Origley they were given until January . .'.let to pay the'-'fine. '