A SEAMAN'S PLEA

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 74, 29 March 1943, Page 4

A SEAMAN'S PLEA

TO SLY GROG CHARGE

THREATENED, ASSAULTED

The allegation that he was threatened, and on one occasion assaulted, and had a window in his house broken because he said he had no liquor to sell, was made by Richard William Ferguson, through his counsel, Mr. K. C. Aekins, when appearing voluntarily in the Police Court to-day. •- He pleaded guilty to a charge of selling liquor without a license.

Sub-Inspector Macnamara said Ferguson, who lived in Ireland Street, admitted selling two bottles of wine for 30/. When the police visited his house they found a small quantity of beer and wine.

Mr. Aekins said Ferguson was a seaman working ashore during the last six months, and added that the hospitality he offered to visitors went a little : too far, and he gradually drifted into an illegal business. "He tritfd to get out of it, but he found it hard. He says he was threatened and assaulted when he told them that he was not selling any more liquor. On one occasion a window in his house was broken. When he told some visitors he had no liquor they refused to believe -him, and he had to get it for them because they threatened to expose him as a sly-grow seller. He says he is now glad it is all over and that he can return to his normal life " Mr. Luxford: I hope a lot of others will also make the same resolution. If they did the sly-grog traffic in this city would soon be cleared up, but there are no mitigating circumstances in this case, and the defendant will be sentenced to one month's imprisonment."