Police Make Raid on Country Bookmakers

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 851, 20 December 1929, Page 1

Police Make Raid on Country Bookmakers

FINES TOTAL £290 FIVE TOWNS VISITED From Our Otrn Correspond) nt HAMILTON, Thursday. Raids on premises suspected of being used by bookmakers were made by the police at Hamilton, Morrirsville, Matarrata, Rotorua, and Te Puke. A number, of arrests were made. Breaches of the Gaming Act were admitted by five men in the Hamilton Magistrate’s Court, this afternoon, before Mr. Wyvern Wilson, S.M. Fines totalling £290 were imposed. Carles O’Brien, contractor, aged 27, pleaded guilty to a charge of bookmaking. He said he was only operating in a small way. Detective-Sergeant Thompson sr.id that when accused was arrested this morning he was found to have £26 and material connected with bookmaking in his possession. He was an associate of Hilliary Quin, the next accused to appear. Both men were working in the streets and in hotels. O’Brien was convicted and fined £ !0. Hilliary Quin, insurance agent, who was stated to be a silver bettor, was also convicted and fined £3O. ONLY TOOK SMALL BETS James Henry Doleman, hairdresser, of Frankton, pleaded guilty to a charge of keeping a common gaming-house. Detective-Sergeant Thompson said accused had been in business . s a tobacconist for a number of years. An extensive amount of betting mater'a* was found on his premises. Doiemi'ii said he ouly took small bets. A fine of £IOO was imposed. Another tobacconist and hairdresser, Charles Jackson, of Victoria Street, Hamilton, adDfitted a charge of bookmaking. It was stated that ho had four previous convictions. Detective-Sergeant Jackson said that when Jackson’s premises were raided this morning betting material was found. Counsel for accused said that since his last conviction in 1925 accused had discontinued bcokmaklng for a period of two aid a-ha f years. Jackson was convicted and lined £IOO.

Robert Irvine, hat blocker, in business in Ward Street, pleaded guilty to a charge of bookmaking. The detective said Irvine only operated in a small way, and the qu intil.y of bookmaking material found on his premises was not large. A fne of £3O was imposed. WARNING TO HOTELKEEPERS The magistrate said that bookmakers were a parasite on the community, and were lightly put down by the law. This also applied to men keeping a book on a small scale and living on the earnings of workingmen, who were only able to bet ir. a minor way. They wee thereby taking money from men who were ieast able to afford it. In two of the cases it had been, shown that the men carried on their business while frequenting hotels. He would issue a warning to licensees of hotels that the practice must not continue, or they would jeopardise their licences. MATAMATA ARRESTS TWO MEN REMANDED From Our Own Correspondent MATAMATA, Thursday. Two Matamata residents were arrested today by Sergeant Mat he son and Constable Connors on a charge of keeping a common gaming-house. They appeared before Justices of the Peace and were remanded. Bail was allowed, and the names suppressed. TWO ARRESTED AT TE F*UKE From Our Own Correspondent TE PUKE, Today. J. Hicks, a billiards saloon keeper, and D. Neilson, a draper, were arrested yesterday on a charge of bookmaking and keeping a gaming house. A quantity of betting material was seized by the police and Mr. G. Sweetman and Mr. J. G. Saunders, J.P.’s, today remanded the men till January 7.