CROWN-AND-ANCHOR

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 867, 10 January 1930, Page 1

CROWN-AND-ANCHOR

Constable Lectures on Game BETTING MACHINES ON VIEW IN COURT MUCH of the paraphernalia of the itinerant gambler was on view at the Police Court this morning when Edward Burton Grant was charged with playing Crown and Anchor in a public place. Demonstrations of the use of the apparatus were given the Bench by Constable Boag who, for l'J years, has studied the intricacies of games of "chance.” Grant was fined j£2 and costs and his apparatus was forfeited to swell the already large private museum of Constable Boag.

Most ingenious of the gambling machines was an enamel basin that rotated freely on a pivot. Set inside the basin, just below the brim, were three small trays, just large enough to take a dice each. The basin was spun sharply and suddenly stopped. The dice fell to the bottom of the basin, and, according to Constable Boag, the skilled operator knew ho\ they would fall. When the dice were set in the containers a certain way, the operator could tell how they would fall. The system was to run the machine with a confederate in the crowd and work the play so that the assistant won fairly steadily. HIS OWN INVENTION "This is defendant's own invention.” said the constable giving evidence. "I had not seen it before, but it is copied from the old roller.” The constable produced a many-sided roller, which he had brought to court from his private collection, and demonstrated with it. declaring that he could make it stop with reds or blacks uppermost as he willed. The third exhibit was a spinning-wheel, which the constable held could also be run according to the will of the operator. Defendant denied that the rotating basin was his own idea. “It was run by old Joe Dixon. He’s dead now,” he said. The Magistrate: And you are carrying on. Grant pleaded not guilty and objected to the words rogue and vagabond, the charge being that he was a rogue and a vagabond having played crown-and-anchor in a public place at New Lynn on December 14. “I’ve never done a man out of a shilling in my life so how could I be a rogue?’’ he said. The magistrate reassured defendant by telling him that the words were inserted only that fhe case could be brought within the Gaming Act. Constable Boag gave evidence against a background of gaming apparatus which stood on a folding table behind him. He said that at 10 p.m. on December 14 defendant had approached him at New Lynn saying that he was go’.-ig to run a legal game, half the proceeds to go to the gala. “I told him not to run any game without first submitting it to me,” said witness. "Later, I saw defendant with a crowd with him. There were three half-crowns on the table.” Defendant: My own money.

“Grant gave the names of Crumb and McWhirter, two members of the committee, whom he said bad given him permission to play,” continued the constable. “These two men told me that he had shown them the old spinning-wheel game.” Sub-Inspector McCarthy: And even that is illegal. “Do you mean to tell me that the public would tolerate such a thing as the constable says I was going to do?” asked Grant. The Magistrate: People are mostly fools where this sort of thing is concerned. Constable Boag: lie could have cleaned up the crowd in half an hour. Defendant: What do you know abou> it? Have you ever operated one of these things yourself? “The constable is an expert wilh these things,” said the magistrate. “He has a wonderful collection, and has been studying them for about 1? years. There’s not much he doesn’t know about them.” Defendant: Not a penny changed hands. The Magistrate: No, they were too smart for you. “I’ve never robbed a man of a shilling in my life, except in the way of business.” added defendant. “I have brought up six children, one of whom is now in a religious order,” he continued. “I exist by selling optics (spectacles) in a shop in Queen Street. I thought I might make a pound or two by taking these games out to New Lynn. I told the committee that it would help them and benefit me as well.” HOW TO WIN MONEY “Do you remember sending out all those circulars to the wool kings’ telling them how to win money by laying doubles?” asked the subinspector. Witness said that he did, and ChiefDetective Hammond said that the man had been mixed up with gambling games for about 40 years. He was not really dishonest and had been fined £lO in August for sending circulars to sheepfarmers with the idea of betting on doubles and interesting them in the “sport of kings.” “As he did not get his game started, I shall let him off with a light fine,” said Mr. Hunt, imposing a penalty of £2 and costs. An order was made for the forfeiture of the apparatus. “Constable Boag will take care of that,” said the magistrate.