RECENT POLICE RAID

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XLV, Issue 10168, 25 July 1924, Page 5

RECENT POLICE RAID

IN SEARCH OF GBGG.

TWO CHARGES THE SEQUEL.

CASES AT ASHBURTON COURT. A ease of alleged sly-grog selling was heard at the Magistrate’s Court this morning before Mr E. D. Mosley, S.M. Two men were involved in the charges. Frank Bull, labourer, of Ashburton, was charged with keeping liquor for sale on July 12. Senior Sergeant Jackson appeared for the police, and Mr G. H. Buchanan represented the defendant, who pleaded not guilty. The police said another case was connected with the present one, and they wished to take the two together. The othor charge was against John Hunt, labourer, of having aided Bull in the commission of the offence.

Senior-Sergeant Jackson gave details of a raid on Bull’s premises on the night of July 12. Hunt was carrying a gallon of beer on his shoulder when caught. Bull, who was with Hunt, ran off, saying “You won’t catch me, you .” Bull had four bottles of whisky and Hunt two. Hunt said one of the bottles belonged to. Bull. Constable Excell described the situation of the premises. There was an old and a new house on the property.. Witness and Constable White arrived, on the premises at 6.15 p.m. on July 12. Bull was then out. The two constables hid in a macrocarpa hedge near by. At about 8.15 p.m. Bull and Hunt arrived on bicycles. Being disturbed by Bull’s dog, the constables came out of their hiding-place. Witness said, “Good-night, Bull. We are here to | search the place for liquor. What have you got ?’ ’ Bull replied Hunt had a gallon of beer. Going towards the old house Bull bolted from Constable White, who followed in full chase. Urged by witness, Hunt produced two bottles off whisky concealed in his clothes, and said they belonged to Bull, and the beer to him (Hunt). Constable White arrived back with Bull, saying that Bull had bolted away and tried to get rid of some bottles of whisky, Bull produced four bottles, of whisky. Hunt was asked how many bottles belonged to Bulk Bull replied for him that three bottles belonged to him, and was silenced abruptly by witness. Constable Whit© searched the premises, and Bull helped, against orders. Bull offered the l keys of a shed to witness, but the latter did not require them that night. No liquor was found in the old house, and nothing was seized save the gallon of beer and six bottles of whisky, produced in Court. In reply to Mr Buchanan, witness said the Court list showed the beer to belong to Hunt and the whisky to. Bull. It would be a reasonable thing; for two men to carry the bottles m. their pockets when cycling. Constable White gave corroborative evidence. The defence was that 6ince February 29 Bull had been getting into the district a comparatively small amount or whisky, averaging about one bottle ner week/ Constable Excell had admitted that Bull could drink one bottle Der week. Having his horse, lame, Bull had wished to get a larger amount of liquor in about July 12, to save bicycle trips. Bull resolved after his previous conviction to turn over a new leaf, leave Ashburton, and set up m the livery stable business. It was asked that the < use be heard on its merits, and without being influenced by the knowledge of Bull’s career The small amount of wlnsky Bull had brought in would not yield much profitFrank Bull said he was at home on th© afternoon of July 12, and agreed to go out with Hunt to Chertsev. On the return journey they unsuccessfully tried to draw the cork of the demijohn. Regarding the alleged bad language, witness said no had never sworn in liis life. If he bioughtliquor in per medium of the railway he was sure it would be seized. Cross-examined by Senior-Sergeant. Jackson, witness said he had made only one trip to Chertsey. The ponce were very hard upon him, and l l ® to hide the whisky on the night ofi July 12. He did not run away, for hecould not run. . , n lr The Magistrate remarked that nun had run away on the occasion of his previous conviction. He asked defendant how he could keep himself,, his wife, and two children, and buy whisky, bn £3 17® 6d per week. Defendant replied that a pony stallion of his brought in on an averageof £2 per week. He admitted tha the amount of his previous fine was still loaned to him, and he did not think the cost- of his whisky was 8$

all out of the way. The Magistrate said the onus rested on Bull to prove that the liquor was not kept for sale. Bull s whole tude right from the beginning of the raid was not genuine. He hfid made mis-statements, and his attitude in running away from the police, and his attitude in the witness-box when he said he could keep a family and soend 12s per week on whisky, were not genuine. It was not possible to keep a family under those conditions. Bull was also faced with a mortgage on his house and an unpaid fine of £oo. The liquor must therefore have been kept for an illegal purpose. Vhen Bull came before the Court before, the Magistrate had promised to send him to gaol if lie came before him again. I This illegal traffic was a thing to be stooped in Ashburton. Tt was a. menace to the whole of i and did untold harm. Both Hunt and j Bull would be convicted. . . I Mr Buchanan appealed for leniency in the sentence. If imprisonment I yvere not imposed Bull might put his ! good intentions into practice. The Magistrate said he disliked goingback on bis promise. The liquor' craving- and traffic- was more a disease; than a crime, and the Court- would have to take that point- into considerstloßuil was fined £SO and costs (7s). Hunt, whose circumstances were ats&ribed by the ponce as teing poor, was fined £2 and costs (/s). Roth wei-e allowed a month in which to pay.

judgment by Default. Judgment bv default with costs, was given in the following undefended cjviT cases:—G. Hefford and Co, v Cffiristopher James Grieve (Methven), £6 .5. (costs £1 10s 6d); F. Huxton v-,F.-R. Bonnison (Tinwald), £3 15s (‘£l 6s 6<i); National Mortgage and Agency Co. v. John Sc-o-tt (Methven), -U'O Is 2d (£G ,1s).