SUNDAY DRINKS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 113, 14 May 1937, Page 8

SUNDAY DRINKS.

24 MEN IN BAR.

LICENSEE FINED £10.

"This offence wae a particularly impudent one, and being the second within six months the licensee is liable to have hie license'forfeited," eaid Sub-Inepector ?ox in the Police Court thie morning, when David Black, licensee of the Empire Hotel, pleaded guilty to a summon* charge of selling liquor after hours.

Mr Fox said that at 11.40 a.m. on Sunday, March 28, Constable Fowler saw ft man leaving' the hotel carrying two bottles of beer. On entering the hotel the constable found 14 men in the private bar and 24 men in the public bar. Business wae, being carried on a* if it was a week day. The licensee eaid the 14 men were boarders. "But the other 24 men were illegally on the premieee," eaid Mr. Fox. "There were two barmen behind the bar serving drinks. Asked by Constable Fowler for an explanation, Black said; "What can I do? These men are everyday customers of mine. They come here and want a drink." Mr. Fox added that the c instable took the names of 17 of the 24 men in the public bar, the others getting away. All the men were sober. "In a general way the licensee conducts his hotel well, nut my information is that he does after-hour trading," said the subInspector. "On December 4 he was fined £2 for opening and £2 for selling after jiours.' , Mr. Allan Moody, who appeared for the licensee, said thet Black had effected a. great improvement in the conduct of the hotel since he took it over 14 months ago. It was in a difficult locality. There watt one thing in his favour, and that was that he would never serve a woman with liquor ill the hotel. "On this occasion when he was caught it was Kaster Sunday," said counsel. "Your Wor.-hip will remember what a miserable day it was. The licensee was upstairs at the time the constable called. The barman was careless in letting others than boarders into the bar."

The magistrate imposed si line of £10 and costs, and said that he would leava the question of defendant'* license to \> dealt with by tho Licencing Committee.

For supplying liquor Colin Carpenter, who pleaded puilty, was fined £2 and posts. John Simpson, who pleaded not guilty to a similar charge, and Said he was cleaning out the bar at the time, wan fined £2 and costs.