LIQUOR AFTER HOURS.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 138, 23 March 1935, Page 3

LIQUOR AFTER HOURS.

FINES ON WEST COAST. (Special to the “ Guardian.”) WESTPORT, March 21. Usually, when a policeman has paid one visit to an hotel in an evening for the purpose of ensuring that tne licensing laws are being observed, he does not return. But there was one Westport constable recently who clici. It was the night of a dance in a country hall, and he found when he entered the hotel nearby that there were six men in the bar. He took their

lia Then the constable went to the hall and looked on for a while at the dancers. After that he did the unexpected thing-he went back to the h °As l 'the Magistrate remarked, when the whole of the circumstances veie related in the Court to-day the licensee having had one visit fiom the police, made the mistake of assuming that for the rest of the evening coast would be clear. ~ On his second visit the constab found two men “illegally on the premises” and a hoarder, who appeals have acted as an honorary barman serving them. There followed a second taking of names. . As a result, six men were each fined 15s and costs, the “barman” was fined £2 and costs and the licensee hi ana costs with respect to the constables first visit, and £3 and costs in respect to the second. The Magistrate lie that the offence disclosed on the constable’s second visit was a distinct offence and declined to accept the plea of the defence that it was a continuance of the first offence.