BETTING CHARGES.

Taranaki Daily News, 2 July 1920, Page 6

BETTING CHARGES.

FINES AMOUNT TO £240, Patrick Joseph Flanagan appeared before Mr. T. A. B. Bailey, ,S.M., a.t the New Plymouth Magistrate's Court yesterday, and pleaded guilty on fourteen counts with making bete in public places and on licensed premises at Waitarn, Stratford, New Plymouth, liiglewood, and Midhirst. ■■ Mr. F. E. Wilson appeared lor the defendant. Mr. Wilson said he assumed the only object of the police in laying so many charges was to establish the fact that the defendant was a bookmaker. Defendant would acknowledge that he had committed a breach of the Act, but would ask that the charges should be treated as two alienees being committed on two different days. There was no allegation, continued Mr. Wilson, that defendant had made bets with infants or that he had laid "tote odibs." They were all just straightout bets. Sub-Inspector Button said that all the. offeneeg were committed on May 17 and 19. The bets had been made in Stratford, Waitara, Inglewood, and New Plymouth, but the charges did not represent the whole of the bets found in defendant's books. The Magistrate: Are the police, going on with all the cases? Do they wish to withdraw any of the charges? The Sub-Inspector agreed to withdraw two of the three informations in respect of bets made with one man at Stratford, leaving twelve charges. The Magistrate: In that case it would be best to impose the minimum fine on each charge. Defendant was fined £2O and costs on each of the twelve charges, making a total of £244 4b.