Were SUN Sports Competitions Legal?

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 216, 1 December 1927, Page 11

Were SUN Sports Competitions Legal?

QUESTION FOR MAGISTRATE POLICE COURT PROSECUTION WHETHER the sports competitions organised by THE SUN offended against the Gaming Act was the question that Mr. W. R McKean, S.M., was asked to decide at the Police Court to-day. THE SUN Newspapers, Ltd., was charged with establishing a lottery on October 22. The company was also charged with receiving money in consideration to pay money on the contingency of a horse race. There was a. further charge of receiving money as consideration for a promise to pay £I,OOO on the result on the New Zealand Cup and the New Zealand Trotting Cup. Mr. E. H. Northcroft appeared for the defendants, and pleas of not guilty were entered on all charges. Chief-Detective J. Cummings sail that the prosecutions were the result ot a publication in THE SUN relating to horse racing. On September 17 was published a coupon announcing that a prize of £lO would be awarded for the placing of horses at the Avondale Jockey Club’s Spring Meeting. On September 27, the result of competition was announced, it being stated that 30,000 entries were received.

Two other competitions were held, for each of which a prize of £2O was offered. In one there were 35,000 entries, and in the other 37,000.

On October S, THE SUN announced that it would give £I,OOO for the picking of the placed horses in the New Zealand Cup and the New Zealand Trotting Cup. To enter for this it was necessary to pay three months' subscription to the paper. three police officers, in evidence, said they had purchased SUNS and filled in the coupons, but had not sue ceeded in the winning of any of the prizes. Senior-Detective Hammond said that in his opinion it was hardly possible to pick the placed horses in a race. In the New Zealand Cup competition the coupons had a list of the 43 acceptors, whereas only 16 started There were 19 acceptors in the Trotting Cup, and only 17 starters. Mr. Northcroft: Those who follow horses have a fair knowledge of the horses likely to start? “That is so,” replied the witness. “A good horse drawing an outside position is not debarred from wining?” asked counsel. “No,” replied witness. “There is an element of chance, but skill is not absent,” said Mr. Northcroft. “It’s impossible to pick one, two and three in a race,” replied the detective