POLICE RAID IN WHANGAREI

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 171, 10 October 1927, Page 9

POLICE RAID IN WHANGAREI

BOOKMAKERS SOUGHT SURPRISED CUSTOMERS i FYom Our Oicn Corrrspondc *t) TV’HAXGAREI, To-day. About noon or* Saturday a police raid took place on offices situated in the Imperial Chambers, Bank Street. Whangarei. The raid was carried out by Detective de Xorville and Constable Parkinson. As a result John Robertson. more familiarly known as “Jock.” was taken to the police station on a' charge of carrying on the business of a bookmaker. AVhile the raid was in projrress a number of documents were impounded and, is understood, a considerable sum of money. While the police were in possession, numerous calls came on the telephone, and these were answered in th? orthodox manner. Several callers were answered in person by the police. The raid was not without humour. The stairs leading to Robertson’s office are particularly steep. One individual, who had just mounted to the top, on seeing who was in possession, got such a shock that he tumbled down the stairs again backwards, trying to make a hasty exit. Robertson was formally charged at the Police Station before Messrs. L. J. Brake and H. N. Geissler, JJF.’s, with carrying on the business of a bookmaker. He was released on tail, himself in £SO and one surety c f a like amount. This is the second bookmaking raid in Whangarei within a few weeks. PLEAS OF GUILTY To-day before Mr. F. H. Levien. S.M.. John Robertson pleaded guilty to carrying on business as a bookmaker and elected to be dealt with summarily Detective De Norville said that accused was only in the bookmak .ng business in a small way and there were no previous charges against him. His character was good and he readily admitted his guilt when charged, thus saving the court trouble. Mr. Levien said another similar case had been heard recently before another magistrate in the town where defendant was only fined £2O for a second conviction. Had he been on th e Bench himself he would probably have taken a different view, but he could not very well fine Robertson heavily in the face of the recent case. He therefore convicted and fined him £2O and costs, but would fine him the maximum if he came before him again. Another charge of keeping a common gaming house was withdrawn by the police. Richard Cook, Michael H. Sherriff. and Charles M. Moorcroft, al. pleaded guilty to making wagers with Alfred Ernest Lacey, on the Canterbury races, and each man was convicted and fined £2 and costs. ROTORUA TOO TWO MEN ARRESTED / ROTORUA, To-day. A raid on Saturday resulted in the arrest of Hori Mau and Geoffrey Rogers on chaxges of the forme:.* keeping a gaming house and the latter with assisting. The men were brought before justices in the afternoon by Detective Sweeney and remanded to October 17 and admitted to bail in surety of £IOO and £5 respectively.