NO TIME TO PAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 265, 8 November 1935, Page 8

NO TIME TO PAY.

UNLAWFULLY. IN HOTEL TWO WATERSIDERS FINED £2. 11l fining two wate.side workers £2 and costs for being found unlawfully on licensed premises, Mr. Wyvern Wilson S.M., in the Police Court this morning fixed the alternative in each case a. seven days' imprisonment and refused an application for time to pay. The defendants were Jack Goodwin and 1' rank Croon. They were represented by Mr. J. J. Sullivan, and both pleaded not guilty.

E. O. Bennett, licensee of the Royal Hotel, said that at 9 p.m. on September 27 he was called from the commercial room by a porter, and found both defendants on the premises. They were with another man, and all asked for liquor. "I told them all that liquor could not be procured after 6 p.m. and asked them to leave," said the witness. "The third man was under the influence of liquor, and after I called the police he was arrested for drunkenness."

Mr. Sullivan: My two clients went in to get the other man, who was drunk, and make him leave, did they not?— All three came back together. I asked these two gentlemen to leave, and they did so. I ejected the third man, and then all three came back together. Evidence was given by a constable that on arrival at the hotel he saw the three men. He asked them what they wanted, and they all replied that thev wanted some liquor. The third man was arrested, and dealt with in the police Court the following morning. Mr.. Sullivan: My instructions are that it was the man you arrested who said he wanted liquor?—No, they all said they came to get liquor. Mr. Sullivan said the defence was that both Goodwin and Croon simplv went into the hotel to get their friend to leave to save trouble. They would deny that they said they went for liquor.

Goodwin gave evidence, in which he denied that he made the statement about liquor. He added that Croon and he entered the hotel to try and get the other man to leave.

Sub-Inspector Fox: Both Mr. Bennett and the constable say that you all said you wanted liquor. Do yoi suggest that both these witnesses are not°telling the truth ?—lt looks like it. Mr. Sullivan said he would not call Croon, but would leave the case as it stood.

Remarking that he was satisfied that both men had tried to persuade the licensee to supply them with liquor, the magistrate imposed fines of £2 and costs, in default seven days' imprisonment. "The collection of the fines by distress will not apply in these cases," he added.

Mr. Sullivan asked that at least 24 hours should be allowed defendants in which to pay the fines, but this request Mr. Wilson refused.