Break Up of a Chinese Hell.

Manawatu Times, Volume VIII, Issue 360, 10 September 1883, Page 2

Break Up of a Chinese Hell.

Constable Gille.-<pie has with great promptitude broken up a Chinese gambling hell which was growing into existence m Palmerston. It appears th<tt he recently became aware that gambling was carried on on a large scale by the Chinese residonts of Palmers'ou and neighborhood m a building m Taonui-street, formorly occupied by Bugg Brothers as a butcher's shop. G-arabling, it is re» ported, was carried on all night last Sunday week, and as thase things soon grow very rapidly unless checked, and generally end m murder, the police reaoived to root out the den of iniquity at once. Ac* cordingly, last night, acout ten o'clock, having suspicions that gam" bling was going on at the place indicated, the local constable roused up the bailiff, Mr Graff, and the two proceeded to the scene of the gambling. After reconnoitring the con* stable snddenly opened the back door of the house, and -walked straight in> to the evident alarm and dismay.of the " almond.eyed," who got into a state of mortal funk. The table was found to be covered with Chinese coins, evidently for gaming purposes, and various appliances, but only of a temporary character, for gaming were found and taken possession of. Being w.thout an in* terpreter, the oonstable was evidently at a great loss, as he experienced a difficulty m understand] ag what was said. We learn, however, that several of those who were present are to be summoned for breaches of the Gaming v and Lotteries Act. In the house, a Chinaman was found just going off into uncon* sciousness from the effects of opium. Without m any way anticipating the result of the Court cases which will arise out of the affair, we must ex<press our pleasure at the prompt measures taken by the police to prevent Palmerston becoming the possessor of a Chinese gaming house, as m a few weeks we should ha. ye had Chinamen gathering from all parts of the Coast to attend the " hell."