Monday, July 11, 2011

GAMING CHARGES PREMISES RAIDED SALE OF PAKAPOO TICKETS A raid on several houses in Taranaki and Haining streets, in which, it was suspected pakapoo tickets were being sold, was carried out yesterday afternoon by a number of detectives and constables. As a result, ten Chinese and seven Europeans appeared in the Magistrate's Court to answer charges of keeping common gaming-houses and of being found on the premises. Six of the Chinese, Low Yee, Ah Sam Peter Sing, Low Tong, Ah Lee, and Low Kum, pleaded guilty to keeping the premises for the sale of pakapoo tickets Detective-Sergeant Holmes said that the premises 154 Taranaki street, 46, Haining Street 158 Taranaki Street, 145, Taranaki street, 149, Taranaki street, and 11, Haining street, were all apparently laundries or fruit shops from the outside, and displayed a few bottles or packets of collars as a blind. Mr. A. J. Mazengarb submitted that the Chinese were merely salesmen for the tickets, and derived very little profit from their work. Three of them were over 70 years of age, and were unable to work at their usual trades. Counsel said that he had been instructed that all the houses concerned in the "ring" had been involved in the raid, and the practice of selling tickets would cease. Each of the defendants was fined £10, in default one month's imprisonment, with the exception of Low Kum, who had three previous convictions of a similar nature, was fined £50, in default three months imprisonment. Pleas of guilty to being found on the premises were entered by Thomas King, aged 32; William Auld, aged 48; Phillip James James, aged 51; Leonard Clarence Spencer, aged 29; Albert Joseph Chancy, aged 20; and Cyril William Bouttell, aged 24. Each was fined £2, in default 14 days' imprisonment. Similar charges against Ah Young, Lowe Sikj and Ah Lowe were withdrawn, as satisfactory excuses were given for their presence in the houses. Frederick Williams, aged 64, denied having visited 154, Taranaki street, for any illegal purpose. Evidence was given by a police officer that he heard a door slam at the rear of the house. He next saw the defendant in charge of a detective, who said that Williams had been running away from the premises. Two of the men who had admitted being on the premises said that Williams had been in the house for about ten minutes before the raid. "I think the case against him has been proved," said Mr. J. H. Salmon, S.M., in fining Williams £5, in default 14 days' imprisonment. He has elected to go into the box and, I think, commit perjury." In the case of Charlie Wong, alias Lee Chan, who was found at 158, Taranaki street, with pakapoo tickets in his possession, but who contended that the tickets were old and that he was merely visiting a countryman, a fine of £5, in default 14 days' imprisonment, was imposed. "He is extremely lucky not to be charged with assisting in the conduct of the house," remarked Mr. Salmon, after hearing the police evidence. Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 11, 14 January 1928, Page 8

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