BOOKMAKER GAOLED.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 283, 2 May 1914, Page 5

BOOKMAKER GAOLED.

FOR BETTING AT ELLERBLTE. TWO MONTHS' HARD LABOR. By Telegraph—Press Association. Auckland, Last Night. Joseph Pointon was charged at the Police Court this .morning that, being a bookmaker, he made bets at Ellerslie racecourse on Easter Monday. Detectives Ward and Torrance gave evidence that Pointon kept one .position between 12.15 p.m. and 2.40 p.m., while they at the same time kept a watch on him from the grandstand a hundred yards away. In that time they saw eighteen people go up to Pointon, hands appearing to meet each time., Pointon put one hand in his pocket, and then made a note on a piece of paper. Witnesses then went up to Pointon, and Detective Ward took his race-book and asked him to go with them to the stewards' room. On the way he dropped an envelope and a card giving tht ihorses and weights of some Ghristchuroh races. There- were no significant nates on the race-hook, but on the envelope were notes of betting transactions on races that day, accompanied by initials. When arrested next day, Detective Ward said, Pointon remarked, "You fellows would hang a man, but I will be a bookmaker all my life." Mr„ Singer, for defendant, submitted that the actions noted might have been those of a member of the public, who was in company with friends at the races and was sharing bets on the totalisator with them.

Mr. Frazer, S.M., decided that unless .the defendant went into the box and gave'a satisfactory explanation of the actiong noted, there must be a conviction.

Mr. Singer intimated that he would not put his client in (the box, and his Worship stsited tjiat a conviction must "be recorded. Defendant's record showed that he had been three times previously convicted for betting. On the present charge he was sentenced to two months' hard labor.