RAID ON CHINESE.

Taranaki Central Press, Volume IV, Issue 401, 7 April 1937, Page 6

RAID ON CHINESE.

FAN TAN PLAYED. Auckland Detectives Active. Press Association —Copyright. Auckland, April 6. A raid by a party of detectives on premises in Grey’s Avenue this morning resulted in the appearance before Mr. W. R. McKean S.M., in the Police Court later of 15 Chinese charged under the gaming laws. Detective-Sergeant McHugh, who let the party of five detectives and a constable, said numerous complaints had been received by the police about the premises, which were used as a gambling den. It was becoming a menace to the city. Men came in from their gardens and played at the house, not going back to their work when they should. The complaints were not coming from white people but from the Chinese themselves. When the raid was made the house was well filled, and from the equipment of the tables and the other gear there could be no doubt that a large syndicate was behind it. The men charged were playing fan tan, which they had been playing continuously for a considerable time. One man and a friend would go in and form a bank, and after they had finished they would be replaced by two more. “When they get off with fines they look on the law as a farce,” said De-tective-Sergeant McHugh. “We are supposed to prevent this gambling, but I respectfully suggest that when they look upon the whole thing as a joke it is useless for us to attempt to clean up these places. They simply laugh at the police when they get off with fines.” “We had better see if vve can have them sent back to China,” said the magistrate. “They are required at the gardens,” said Detective-Sergeant McHugh. “It is not as though they did not have money. Two of them had as much at £2OO each on them when we raided the premises. One had £207.” Mr. Dyson, who appeared for the defendants, said the house was not purely and simply a gambling den. It was used as a communal meeting house by many of the Chinese, and some of those who were arrested had not gone there to gamble, but just for the company’s sake. Wong Hock, charged with assisting in the business of a common gaming bouse, was remanded on bail. Detective-Sergeant McHugh said the police would probably be able to produce the occupier of the premises when Wong Hcck was tried. Fourteen found on the pre mises were fined £4 each.