BILLIARDS IN A HOTEL.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9620, 13 October 1909, Page 5

BILLIARDS IN A HOTEL.

AN INTERESTING CASE. By Telegraph—Press Association. CHRI3TCHURCH, October 12. A case which presented some in teresting features was before Mr Bailey, S.M., at Amberley yesterday. The licensee of the Railway Hotel was charged with having permitted gambling on his premises The facts, which were admitted, were that a billiards tournament, continuing over some weeks, was held in the Railway Hotel. The prizes were not given by the licensee, but Ward and Co , owners of the house, gave £2 10s for first prize, and 10s f>r third, and a billiard cue as second prize was given by Fletcher, Humphreys and Co., wine merchants. There was no entrance or acceptance fee, and the licensee had no interest in the tournament, except a fee of 2s 6d for the use of the table for each game. The players did not play for any sweepstake. Cash prizes were handed to the first and third players on the understanding that they should purchase trophies. The prosecution was undertaken by the police, who contended that under section 185 of the Licensing Act the tournament was an unlawful game, as it already had been held that to play for drinks was unlawful, and in this case the play wad for money and and prizes The defence raised by Mr J. A. Cassidy was that there had been no gambling, and therefore no offence. Under section 185 to constitute gamblngt there must be both losing and winning, and those who did not win in the tournament lost nothing. There was no question of loss tt) anyone, but only of possible gain to the winners. The Magistrate remarked that the case was one of considerable importance, and reserved his decision.