GAMING CHARGE FAILS

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 187, 28 October 1927, Page 7

GAMING CHARGE FAILS

THE SUN’S FREE-PETROL FEATURE “A GIFT, PURE AND SIMPLE* (Special to THE SUN.J CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday. Charges under the Gaming Act against Arthur David Dunkley. publisher of “The Sun,” and Henry Alexander Gilbert, a reporter, were dismissed by Mr. E. D. Mosley, S.M., to-day. The charges were laid as a result of a feature in the motor page of "The Sun.” a photograph being printed weekly of a number-plate of a car, taken at random, of that particular car being entitled to go to the garage of Combined Buyers and there be presented with a quantity of oil or motor spirit. In the same connection Michael Bruce Cook, manager of Combined Buyers, was charged with commencing a scherAe by which prizes ■were gained by a mode of chance. A pin of not guilty was entered to all charges. Counsel submitted that it was an unusual charge against the reporter. The Bench said that Gilbert may have been the brains of the scheme, but should not have been summoned. In the circumstances he would dismiss that charge. Concerning Dunkley, counsel submitted that there was no competition and therefore there could be no prizes. It was only a stunt to brighten the pages as much as bright letterpress would do. It was a gift, pure and simple. Counsel, in Cook’s case, submitted that defendant merely gave articles away as he was entitled to do. It was a free sample. The magistrate held that the charges against Dunkley did not come within section 42 of the Gaming Act. £I,OOO COMPETITION “QUESTION FOR FULL COURT” (Special to THE SUN.) CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday • I would be glad if this question went to the Full Court,” said Mr. E. D. Mosley, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court this afternoon when he fined the manager of “The Sun” £lO with costs and fixed security for appeal at £2O. Four charges under the Gaming Act were brought in reference to a competition in which a prize of £I,OOO was offered for the? first person placing in the correct order the first throhorses in the New Zealand Cup and Trotting Cup races. The entrance fee was three months’ subscription to “The Sun” <10s), entitling the entrant to participate in the competition. The magistrate said that ho would help to get the case to the Full Court if deemed advisable, but he could not conceive of that body coming to the conclusion that the element of skill was the main or even th*' predominating element.