BOOKMAKING CHARGES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 April 1938, Page 4

BOOKMAKING CHARGES

TOBACCONIST FINED £lOO By Telegraph—Press Association. AUCKLAND, April 19. The bookmaking business was on trial in the Magistrates’ Court this morning when its case was put by Arthur George Williams, aged 43, tobacconist, who was charged with having used premises as a common gaming house. Asked by Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M., what he had to say for himself, Williams' replied: “I was only attending to a service that is required by the sporting fraternity of New Zealand.” Mr Hunt: “Oh, but it is not a service required by the laws of New Zealand.” Williams: Eighty-five per cent of the people of New Zealand want betting. The magistrate: I think the less said about that the better. Williams, who was stated to have been in court twice last year, was fined £lOO, in default three months’ imprisonment. He was allowed seven days to pay. ( BETS TAKEN ON RACECOURSE £lO FINE FOR LABOURER By Telegraph.—Press Association, CHRISTCHURCH, Apjril 19. When Detective-Sergeant McClune noticed a man. writing something at the Riccarton races yesterday afternoon, his suspicions were aroused and he kept the man under observation. The detective’s suspicions were confirmed when he later approached the man and found that he was taking bets. The sums ranged from 1/- to 2/6, and a total of 30/- had been collected. The man admitted the offence, but said he was only working on commission. This was the story told by DetectiveSergeant Holmes when Joseph Alfred Gardner, Labourer, aged 38, appeared in the Magistrates’ Court this morning on a charge of bookmaking. He pleaded guilty and was fined £ 10 and costs, in default hree months’ imprisonment.