CRICKETERS' EVENING.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 266, 9 November 1928, Page 5

CRICKETERS' EVENING.

REFRESHMENTS ILLEGAL

CHARGE FOR ADMISSION.

LICENSING LAW BROKEN.

(By Telegraph.—Own Correspondent.)

WELLINGTON, this day.

To provide liquor at a smoke concert and make a charge for admission is tantamount tc selling liquor without a license. This was held by Mr. E. Page, S.M., in a reserved judgment to-day. Last April the Pukerua Cricket Club held a smoke concert in a hall at Pukerua Bay, admission being by tickets, which were sold at 5/ each. On the morning of the concert tho club purchased for consumption during the evening 35 gallons of beer and three bottle of whisky. At the concert musical and elocutionary items were rendered and refreshments, consisting of beer, whisky, coffee and cake, were supplied to those present. Subsequently Albert Edward Mann, president, Charles Edward Adams, treasurer, and Claude Vivian Austin, secretary of the club, were charged with selling liquor without a license. The magistrate said the authority was Ericksen v. Cattenach. The facts in the present case were even stronger against defendants. Speaking on the question of penalty, counsel for defendants said smoke concerts were held quite openly durin«* the winter months by almost all sports bodies, and during recent years there never had been any indication from the authorities that the practice was an illegal one. He submitted that defendants had acted in good faith and were quite unaware they were breaking the provisions of the Licensing Act. The magistrate acceded to counsel's submission that there should be only one penalty and asked which of the defendants it was proposed to have bear the burden. Counsel (smiling): If 1 were asked to nominate "the one who should pay I would name the treasurer, because he would be able to recoup himself from the funds of the club. «o£"S " COrdb,?ls ' £ > *»«