PAKAPOO

CHINESE DECIDE TO GO TO GAOL

HOW THE GAME IS PLAYED.

The seven Chinese and one European who were remanded from last week on charges in connection with paka-poo gambling in Haining and Taranaki streets appeared before Mr. F. V. Frazer, S.M., at tlfe Magistrate's Court again this morning. l

Constable Thompson stated that he went to 141, Taranaki-street, on Ist March and marked a ticket, paying sixpence for the privilege. On the following day he again visited the house, to see what his luck had beerfj and, on comparing his marked ticket with the "bank" ticket, found that it had been bad. On 3rd March he bought still another ticket, but drew no dividends, and his final purchases were made on 28th March, the night of the raid. "Did you over win anything afc pakapoo?" asked My. O'Leary. "I did," replied- witness—"£3." "I« that all?"—"No, I won £102 10s once."

"Did you have any difficulty in getting the money?'.'—"Not in the least." Sergeant M'Lean, giving evidence as to the raid at 141, Taranaki-street, said that when an entry was made into the room and the warrant was read, one of the Europeans seated round the table became highly indignant. You have not given us a chance to see whether we have won anything-or not," he protested.

Joseph- Nevil Bell, one of the Europeans prosecuted last week for having been found on the premises of 141, Taranaki-streei, was rather loth to give evidence.

'Perhaps he does not want to risk not- getting another ticket,"' suggested Mr. O'Leary. Bell said that he had not purchased the ticket at 141, Taranaki-street, but at an address which he could not remember, and had called at the raided house to collect his dividends, for he had been told that he had marked a "five and a seven." However, in the excitement the lucky tickets disappeared, and with them his dividends.

Mr. Yue H. Jackson, secretary to the Chinese Consulate. made an interesting statement as to what the markings on the pakapoo tickets signified. The eighty Chinese characters on the ticket, he said, were taken from., the first eighty characters of the book called "The Thousand Characters." The meaning of the characters had no relation to the game whatever, but the signs were used exactly as figures might be used by Europeans. The book of the 1000 characters is written in rhythmical sentences of four characters each. The object of the book is to bring to the notice of the student, as a preliminary exercise, the different idiograms used in the Chinese writings. The following is a translation of the ticket, sentence by sentence: "Heaven and earth were black and yellovy respectively when the universe was in a chaotic state. The sun and moon-decline after reaching the meridian. The stars are scattered over the sky. The winter comes and summer goes. In autumn we reap the harvest; in winter we store it. To make up the deficiency in, the lunar year, we devise the inter-calary month. Look and lvi (six high and six low tones in Chinese ancient music) harmonise in their relations. When the clouds gather thickly ■they cause rain. When the dew freezes comes frost. Gold is obtained at Li Sui. Jade is found at Kwun Kong. Precious swords are named Gui^Hoot (meaning sharpness). Pearls are called 'night illuminations.1 Among the fruits plums and greengages are precious. Among the vegetables, the mustard plant and ginger are valuable. The seas are salt; the rivers are fresh. Creatures with scales live in the water. Animals with wings soar in the air. For Dai, the Emperor, called his premier 'dragon.' Van Wong (the third Emperor after the creation) distinguished his officials by the names of 'birds." Across the centre of the' ticket are printed the words, "Paid according to original," but, added Mr. Jackson, "their meaning is not clear." Senior-Sergeant Crean detailed the drawing of the "bank" by means of slips, each bearing a single character, being placed in bowls and being again drawn therefrom by a lot system. The drawing of the "bank" was then made known to all agents throughout the town, and witness believed' everything was fairly and squarely conducted. A copy of the bank "draw" was kept by all agents and could be inspected bjs anyone holding a/ticket. At the conclusion of the evidence for the prosecution, the occupiers of the four houses, Low Tong (141, Taranaki-street), Young Joe, Wong Lee Hung, and Low Long (50, 48, and 46, Haining-atreet) each pleaded guilty. They were convicted and discharged on the charges of having sold pak-a-poo tickets to Constable 0. G. Thompson, and' on the charges of being the occupiers of common gaming-houses were convicted and' given the choice between paying fines of £40 or going to gaol for three months. After some little hesitation they decided to become temporary guests of His Majesty the King.

Frederick Williams explained his presence at one of the raided houses by saying that he had gone there on the chance of being able to buy some wirenetting, for he'had been informed that the owner had a small stock on hand. He had never been there before. Evidence was 'given that at the time the Chinese* occftpier came to Williams's rescue and explained, "He my flen, he come every night show me the picture book." Constable Anderson also stated that he saw Williams with tickets in his hand. A fine of £3 and costs was imposed.

Young Kee said that he had gone to 14-1, Taranaki-strett, to ask a friend to go to the pictures; Low: Ting explained that he had made the house a port of call on the way from Auckland, to the South Island and Wee Chong had called to arrange for storage of rice. Their explanations were accepted and the informations dismiseed. Evening Post, Volume XCVII, Issue 78, 3 April 1919, Page 7