ALLEGED BETTING.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 February 1921, Page 5

ALLEGED BETTING.

TWO TRIALS BY JURY. BOTH FAIL TO AGREE. By Telegraph—Press Association. Wellington, Feb. 9. The first local trial under the new Gaming Act took place at the Supreme Court to-day, when Matthew Livingstone was charged with having carried on the business of a bookmaker. After the evidence of police witnesses regarding making bets with accused, counsel for the defence contended accused was not a bookmaker within the meaning of the Act. If anything, he was a runner acting for someone else. Mr. Justice Chapman, summing np. said, the jury had nothing to do with the morality of the legislation or «Junsactions. It was not for them to distinguish between the morality or immorality of law. Their duty was to administer it. The facts of the case were plain, if they believed the evidence of witnesses whose evidence was uncontradicted. The jury has retired. Wellington, Last Night.

Tn both the bookmaking cases before the Supreme Court the jury failed to agree and new trials were ordered'for Monday. In Livingstone’s case the jury was out for over six hours. In Martindale’s case the foreman intimated that if the jury was out for a week there was no chance of an agreement. (The first part, of Martindale’s case has not been telegraphed).