BOOKMAKING

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 4, 26 March 1927, Page 1

BOOKMAKING

MARTINDALE FINED “A WEALTHY FIRM” ONE OF THE BIGGEST Press Association WELLINGTON, To-day. ‘‘lt is frequently said that big bookmakers are never brought before the court and only the small men are interfered with, but this man is one of the biggest in New Zealand,” said Chief-Detective Ward in the Magistrate’s Court to-day when J. Martindale admitted 11 charges of having taken bets at totalisator odds. “Defendant is a member of the firm of Scott and Martindale, and has been carrying on busines for a number of years.” Chief Detective Ward continued that Martindale is regarded as one of the outside men. He goes round hotels and agents taking bets. It is said that on race days the bar of the hotel he uses as headquarters resembles a reading-room, so numerous are the double charts and day cards. When arrested he had a settling book in his possession showing what he had to pay out, and 68 double charts and other betting material. Mr. Treadwell, for Martindale, said that the Chief Detective made remarks which, although quite good from a newspaper point of view, had no bearing on the present charges. His client was not charged with carrying on the business of a bookmaker, but with having made a number of bets. The maximum penalty for making a bet was £2O. Mr. Salmon: The Act provides for three months’ imprisonment or a fine of £2O.

Mr. Treadwell: I do not think your Worship will consider imposing a term of imprisonment in ti-is case. It was untrue, he went on t< say, that Martindale . as the member of a wealthy firm of bookmakers. He was not the member of any firm, wealthy or otherwise. He had returned from t' war, after serving five years, because his nerves were shattered, and had been unable to do any heavy work. He tried farm:! - and had to give up. He had never been convicted before. it must be borne in mind that if he had been carrying on the business of a bookmaker for any length of time, he would have been apprehended before. Chief Detective Ward: Martindale was before the court in 1921, but elected to be dealt with at the Supreme Court, where he was acquitted. The Magistrate: These appear to have been his first offences. I propose to deal with them on that basis. There is no doubt that defendant has been betting on a fairly large scale. He will be convicted and fined "£lO on each of the 11 charges, in default a month’s imprisonment. He will be given till Monday to find the money.