“IN THE DUG-OUTS."

Shannon News, 2 December 1924, Page 2

“IN THE DUG-OUTS."

BOOKMAKERS AGITATED. AUCKLAND, Nov. 19. Much agitation and conc&rn was displayed during the week-entpm certain nooks and corners of the city wiiere Uiose who follow horse-racing, and like to have a wager, irequentiy On 'Friday, u(nd earry on Saturday morning, tne word w.as passed around that the detectives "'.ere going in get busy, and as. those gentlemen —vvnose uuty it is to see mat the Gaming Act is not shattered beyond repair—raioiy send along word to say what time they will he dropping in, (the buokies wefe naturally m a state of expectancy. As a matter of. iact, they i or the most, part preferred to remain in tneii; “dug-outs," nut as nothing transpired, and mere were no strangers calling, *all was well. Not that the. “commission agents were disappointed. They prefer to keep to tnemselve.s, and carty on ■ their calling as quietly as. possible.

However, it would appear that there was ready no reason to ■ become alarmed, although they, are naturally ever on the qui vive, and are wholehearted believers in tbe. adage, “ ’Tis better to’ be sure than sorry.” It is just about this time, when Cln’istmas is approaching, each year, that the police—and particularly the detectives —metaphorically speaking, pick up their brooms, and start to clean the city up. Those who come under the heading o.f vagrants, pickpockets, and others who welcome big crowds—'particularly at Christmas, when there are many visitors from the country clown for'the races—are hunted up by the police, and given the tip-to take the train out—and not to hurry back. During the. past week a couple of detectives have been visiting ttie various hotels and other rendezvous where men who prefer to live by other means than working are likely to be met. No doubt it was these visits that caused the-bookmakers t 0 expect some attention, hut they will again breathe freely. The Gaming Act has proved remunerative for the Government, and rarely a week passes without somebody having to pay a substantial fine for breaking some, or many, of its clauses. Just how much has been p.ajd in fines through breaches of the Gaming Act this year in Auckland is nqt available, but those well versed on the point estimate the amount at somewhere, near £3OOO, this sum covering fines for bookmaking and trespassing hipon racecourses. A good start was given when. two bookmakers were fined £7OO between them.