TEACUP FORTUNES

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 303, 17 August 1932, Page 3

TEACUP FORTUNES

LEGAL OPINION WELLINGTON COURT SAYS TEACUP READING IS ILLEGAL. The display of notices to the effect that teacup reading is for fun and merriment, and that no attempt is made to tell fortunes or the future, is not sufficient to protect tea.room proprietors from the acts that are subsequently performed hy teacup readers, according to the decision of Mr. E. ■ Page, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court, Wellington. The magistrate's ruling was the outcome of cases against Kathleen Buchanan, otherwise known as Madame Queex^-who was eharged with three offences of undertalcing to tell fortunes at the Lyric Tearooms, and Tabacaru Andrews, who was eharged with aiding and abetting in the commission of the offences. Both' defendants pleaded not guilty, the defenee being that there had heen no undertaking to tell fortunes, and that Madame Queen had merely given interpretations of the signs in the cups. ■In support of their argument, it was stated that notices had heen prominently displayed in the tearooms by the proprietor, Andrews, infonning patrons that the teacup reading was for fun, and that no attempt was made to tell the future. After hearing the evidenve of two constables and a police matron who visited the Lyric Tearooms, and had their cups read hy Madame Queen, the magistrate said he was satisfied fortunes had heen told by the usual teacup reading methods. He fined Andrews £3 and costs, and convicted and discharged the defendant Buchanan. Another Case. Through her counsel, Alice Beale, otherwise known as Madame Glyn, pleaded guilty to two charges of undertaking to tell fortunes, and the proprietor of the "Quick Step In" Tearooms on Lambton Quay, Alfred George Hanson, admitted two charges of aiding and abetting her. Counsel stated that the offence had heen committed prior to the recent prosecution, and since then the practice had been discontinued. Hanson was fined £3 on the first charge and ordered to pay the costs, 10s on the second. The female defendant was convicted and discharged.