Woman “Bookie” Heavily Fined

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 160, 27 September 1927, Page 1

Woman “Bookie” Heavily Fined

ELLERSLIE OPERATIONS PROSPEROUS 18 MONTHS T9EGINNING business at Ellerslie racecourse yesterday with a modest £5, Gladys Florence Mackrell, aged 32, had £3B in 10s notes and silver when detectives stopped her bookmaking operations. For the past 18 months the woman has been engaged in this manly occupation with conspicuous success. When she appeared at the Police Court to-day she pleaded guilty to a charge of carrying on business as a bookmaker. Chief-Detective Cummings said that accused was a married woman with two children. For the past 18 months she had been taking bets at racecourses, and in addition she ran double charts at Onehunga. She had women whom she paid well, scattered ab out the course working for her. ONLY A FAIR DAY “She was kept under observation and when arrested she told the police that she had only a fair day,” said Mr. Cummings, "so she must have done pretty well cn her good ones.” The chief-detective a 1 so mentioned that Mrs. Mackrell owned her own house, and had a healthy banking account. Mr. Allan Moody, who appeared for accused, said that she was the first 'roman be had seen in court faced with a bookrnaking charge. He asked that she should not be treated too severely. The magistrate, Mr. F. K. Hunt, fined her £ 25. "She won’t want time to pay,” said Hr. Moody.