HOTELKEEPER FINED

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21330, 24 November 1934, Page 22

HOTELKEEPER FINED

-—♦ i.iqiok sold aftkk hoiks 1 ("!•« *'iSll( lATIDK IT.I.IOfIAV.I AUCKLAND. November 23. j A line of £lO for celling liquor after' hours was imposed on Albert Edward I Neville, licensee of the Ambassadors; Hotel, by Mr V. K. Hunt. S.M.. in.the! Magistrate's Court. For aiding and i abetting the licensee in the ott'ence. j Donald 'Vilson. a barman-porter, was' lined £.h "This court some months ago warned i 'icensees that the mere entry in the; bedroom book of n man's name would I not be accepted as proof that that man ■ was a lodger." stated the Magistrate, in his decision. "Such a practice 1 would make Ihe Licensing Act a farce j as in this case the book is kept it- j the bar and the names can be entered! in it and a room allotted to any number ! of men who want drink after hours i and have no intention of staying the night. I "The question in these cases is I whether all these men were lodgers."! said the Magistrate. "Section 192 of the Licensing Act. 1908. permits liquor to be sold to any person being really ( a lodger, living or staying in licensed i premises. Each case must be decided ; on the circumstances. With the possible exception of one man. I cannot hold that the men were really lodgers. None of them had paid for his room. < They had not even seen them, and : they had no luggage. In my opinion. | they went to the hotel for the sole: purpose of obtaining liquor, and not ', board and lodging. Three of the men ! s'ept there that night: but I very much \ doubt if they would have done so if j the police had not visited the hotel ; that night."