SLY GROGGING

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 80, 5 April 1943, Page 4

SLY GROGGING

TWO SENT TO GAOL

WOMAN SUPPLIED TROOPS

A month's imprisonment with hard labour was imposed by Mr. J. H. Luxford, S.M., to-day in two cases associated with sly grogging. A Maori returned soldier, with over two years' service in the present war, Ranga J. Heka, admitted selling a bottle of wine to servicemen in the street for 15/. Heka was described by the police as "a dropper," and had two other bottles of wine in his possession when detected. Heka had been working as a wharf labourer, his earnings averaging about £9 a week. Before passing sentence, Mr. Luxford adjourned the case for a while so that the probation officer might obtain a report. When Heka was called a second time the magistrate said, in view of his service of more than two years, he was at first inclined to deal leniently with him on that score alone, but had come to the conclusion that if he treated accused any differently from others in sly grog cases he would be doing returned soldiers a disservice. A married woman,' Mary Ross, aged 43, was .the other accused sent to prison for a month. The magistrate said there were no mitigating circumstances. Mr. Dickson pleaded guilty, on her behalf, to a charge of selling liquor without a license. Police evidence showed that she had sold a bottle of wine to a serviceman. When a raid was made on her home in the city about 30 servicemen were found on the premises. Concealed in the house were 60 bottles of wine, only six of which were labelled. There were also 50 bottles of beer and part of a bottle of brandy. Drinking was going on at the time of the raid.