LIQUOR FOR ROTARIANS.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 136, 10 June 1926, Page 14

LIQUOR FOR ROTARIANS.

« — HOTEL LICENSEE FINED. "A DELIBERATE RISK.' , (By Telegraph.—Special to " Star.') NEW PLYMOUTH, Wednesday. Arising out of an entertainment to Everett °Hill by the Rotarian Club at dinner at the Criterion Hutel on May 7, Samuel John Gibbons, who was at the time licensee in charge of the house during the absense of Walter Graham in Australia, was to-day charged with several breaches of the Licensing Act. namely: (1) Exposing liquor for sale after hours; (2) opening the bar for the sale of the liquor; (3) selling liquor after hours; (4) allowing the consumption of liquor on licensed premises after hours, though purchased before closing I time. On the occasion of Mr. Everett Hill's visit, the Rotarians arranged a dinner party to his honour. Shortly after S p.m.* an inspector and sergeant visited the hotel and found the private bar open, fully lighted up, and the barman serving liquor whirl] a waiter was seen to take into the dining room. On the tables there were bottles which the police said had claret labels on them, and some of the guests had liquor in glasses before them. Later, a visit was paid by the same sergeant and senior sergeant about 5.50 p.m., when they saw signs that liquor was being partaken of by guests at dinner. They saw a number of claret bottles open. The secretary and president f>f the Rotary Club gave evidence of the arrangements made for the dinner, for which Rotarians paid a guinea each. The secretary said the arrangement was that all liquor was to be supplied from the bar. He admitted they had had liquor for toasts, but could not s-ay whether it was supplied before or after S o'clock, although tlie dinner party was not over till between 10 and 11 o'clock. The licensee said the instructions issued by him were not to open liquor in the dining room after S o'clock, and that only boarders were to be served from the bar. The magistrate said he must hold that there had been breaches and he could not regard them as trivial. If he did it would open the way to other breaches. It was, perhaps, in the opinion of some people, unfortunate that a dinner at which toasts were given could not be held in an hotel after S o'clock, but he wjis only concerned with the administration of the law as he understood it. j The licensee had taken a deliberate risk, and the fine would have to be commen- i surate with the offence. Convictions wore entered on three charges, and a tine of £10 was imposed, on the charge of exposing liquor. Xv penalty was imposed on the other two charges and the charge of selling was I withdrawn. j