ALLEGED SUNDAY TRADING.

Auckland Star, Volume XVIII, Issue 256, 31 October 1887, Page 5

ALLEGED SUNDAY TRADING.

THE CASE DISMISSED.

At the Police Court this morning, Michael Corcoran, licensee of the Flagstaff Hotel, was charged with selling liquor during prohibited hours on the 15th inst. to three men named William McKenzie, Donald McKenzie and Hugh McLeod. Some evidence in this case was taken on Thursday last, when the further hearing was adjourned owing to the illness of Miss Corcoran, one of the witnesses.

Constable O'Brien deposed that on the 13th of the present month he was in company with Sergeant Gillies and entered the? Flagstaff Hotel about a quarter past eleven. Met three men coming out and saw three others inside; one of them held a glass partly filled with liquor in his hand, and drankits contents in the presence of witness. Another man put a glass from his hand to the counter, and a third man was standing in the passage. . Did not see the latter with any liquor. Saw Miss Corcoran in the bar. What he saw in the glasses appeared to be colonial beer. Did nob taste the contents or smell the glasses.

By Mr O'Meagher: Knew of no previous charge against Mr Corcoran. There was a light in the bar, but not in the passage. He did not think the liquor drunk was ginger ale. • aim William McKenzie, 18 years of age, deposed that he resided about a mile from the Flagstaff Hotel. He was in the defendant's hotel on the night of the 15th in company with a brother and Hugh McLeod. They entered the hotel by a door opening on the beach road, and were supplied with ginger ale from the bar whilst they stood in the passage. Miss Corcoran supplied the drink. He paid for the drink. Was not a Good Templar. There was a light in the bar.

Donald McKenzie, 16 years of age, and Hugh McLeod, 17 years of age, gave corroborative evidence. They both deposed to having drinks in the passage. McLeod said he was not sure that all three of them had ginger ale. He was cross-examined by His Worship on this point, and said that although he heard the drinks called for he did not know whether or not they were all ginger ale or mixed liquors. Nellie Corcoran,- daughter of defendant, deposed that she was in the bar about 11.15 p.m. on the night of the 15th inst. and supplied three young men with liquor. Wm, McKenzie called for ginger ale straight, and they had nothing else but ginger ale. ' This was all theevidence,and Mr O'Meagher submitted there was no case to answer. Ginger ale was not an intoxicating liquor. There was no other house on the North Shore better conducted than Mr Corcoran's.

His Worship remarked on the neglect of the police who visited the hotel in not ascertaining what the glasses had actually contained. It was to be regretted that under certain circumstances the Bench had not the power to deal with persons who were bona fide travellers and were found upon licensed premises during prohibited hours, even if, as in the present case, they had been drinking '•'ginger ale." The case would be dismissed.

The annual public meeting in connection with the Wesleyan Home Mission services will be held in St. John's Church, Ponsonby, to-morrow evening. W. Thorne, Esq., will take the chair, and addresses will be given by the Revs. H. R. Dewsbury and A. J. Smith. The Maori students at Three Kings College have also kindly consented to render selections of Maori music during the-even-ing, Te Whiti's famous chant being one of the items selected for the occasion.