ILLEGAL DRINKING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 122, 25 May 1934, Page 8

ILLEGAL DRINKING.

SUNDAY MORNING RAID.

MEN AND WOMEN FINED.

When three police sergeants and four constables paid a surprise visit to the Royal Hotel in the early hours of Sunday, April .8, they, found a number of young men and young women on the premises who were not boarders. As a result of the raid a number of prosecutions were heard before Mr. F. K. Hunt, S.M., this morning. John Eeilly was charged with "keeping opeu licensed premises for the sale of liquor after hours, with exposing liquor for sale after hours, with selling liquor after hours, and with employing a barmaid after 11 p.m. Rose Hunt and William Greenstreet were charged with supplying liquor to persons not entitled to be supplied, and seven men and eight women were charged with being found unlawfully on licensed "premises. Describing the raid, Senior Sergeant Flanagan said that four or five persons were found in the bar and others in the dining room and in the lounge upstairs. It was a Sunday morning. When the police demanded admission to the premises the licensee's wife gave what assistance she could, the licensee being in bed. None of the young women found on the premises was under 21 and nont of the people was under the influence of liquor. "I suppose that 12 o'clock is a bit early for these people for the cabarets to close," added the senior sergeant. Appearing: for the licensee, Mr. Dickson. said that the raid followed the day of the Avondale races. Some of the persons caught in the raid had gone to the hotel at the invitation of the proprietor's son.

Mr. Hunt: How many were there? Senior Sergeant Flanagan: Twenty, your Worship. Mi*. Dickson added that tlie son had no right to invite the people to the hotel, and the trouble would not occur again. 2s T o attempt had been made to mislead the Court.

On the first charge tlie licensee was convicted and fined £10 and costs. The charges of exposing liquor for sale after hours and of selling liquor after hours wero dismissed on payment of costs. A fine of £2 and costs was imposed on the charge of employing a barmaid after 11 p.m. Hunt and Greenstreet wero convicted and discharged, the magistrate remarking that "if tlicy had not worked they would probably have got the sack." The men found on the premises were each fined £2 and costs, and the women £1 and costs. The case of one man was adjourned until June 1.