"A FAIR CATCH."

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 81, 5 April 1940, Page 3

"A FAIR CATCH."

SUNDAY DRINKS. HOTELKEEPER FINED. THIRTEEN MEN IN BAB. As the result of a police visit to the Hobson Hotel, Hobson Street, on the morning of Sunday, February 18, 13 men were each lined £1 and costs' 10/ by Mr. J. Moiling, S.M., in the Police Court to-day, for being found on licenced premises after hours. The then licensee of the hotel, Reef ton Michael Dunn, through his counsel, Mr. X. Hubble, admitted selling alter hours. Sub-Inspector Calwell said that at 7.15 a.m. on Sunday, February 18, Sergeant Taylor visited the HoUson Hotel and found 13 men hi the bar drinking. They had actually been served by the licensee. When the sergeant entered the licensee said: '-It's all right, sergeant; it'e a fair catch. I have nothing to say." "I might point out." eaid Sub-Inspec-tor Calwell, "that the Licensing Committee recently drew attention to the grave position of after-hour trading. A very bad feature of the present case is the fact that the hotel was opened on a Sunday. Wo do our best io prevent after-hour trading, but if a licensee is himself going to be serving 13 men in the bar it makes it difficult for us. I think this case calls for something more than a nominal penalty." Mr. Hubble said it was recognised by the police that the Hobson Hotel was a difficult one to run correctly. The patrons in the neighbourhood* were a little difficult to deal with , and set up some sort of a demand which it was hard to refuse. The defendant wae not now the licensee, as the hotel had been handed over to a purchaser. The magistrate said the breach was a flagrant one and defendant would be fined £10.