THREE LICENSEES FINED Magistrate’s Court At Akaroa

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28541, 21 March 1958, Page 7

THREE LICENSEES FINED Magistrate’s Court At Akaroa

As a sequel to police visits to the Grand Hotel and the Bruce Hotel, Akaroa, and the Crown Hotel at DuVauchelle, 32 persons were charged before Mr Raymond Ferner, S.M., at a sitting of the Akaroa Magistrate’s Court on charges of being on licensed premises after hours.

W. J. Chambers, licensee of the Grand Hotel, was fined £lO for selling liquor after hours; Eric J. Little, licensee of the Bruce Hotel, was fined a similar amount; and Leonard T. Jones, licensee of the Crown Hotel, was also find £lO. His wife, Mrs E. G. Jones, was fined £3 on a charge of serving liquor, and Francis E. Kotlowski was fined a similar amount for serving liquor after hours in the Bruce Hotel.

E. C. Powell pleaded not guilty to a charge of being bn Licensed premises at the Bruce Hotel after hours. The charge was dismissed, the Magistrate accepting Powell’s explanation that he was the guest of a boarder at the hotel.

Sergeant A. W. R. Bell gave evidence that he and Constable W. Bennie visited the Bruce Hotel about 9 p.m. on February 7. There were 16 persons in the bar, all having liquor in front of them. Some claimed they were the guests of a boarder. Others offered a variety of excuses. L. J. Bolger, A. A. Hayward, J. A. Smith, M. Walker, C. G. Davis, and G. W. East were each convicted and fined £3 for being in the Bruce Hotel after hours, and N. G. Blazey, D. A. Kotlowski, and E. L. Langrope, as second offenders, were each fined £4. Mr N. Holmes, who appeared for Little and the barman. F. E. Kotlowski, said that of the 16 persons in the bar only 10 had been charged. In a small township like Akaroa a licensee was placed in a difficult position with those who worked long and irregular hours, and apart from being customers, were also friends.

oemg customers, were aiso menus. Visit to Hotel Constable J. Rudhall (Akaroa) described how he visited the Grand Hotel on January 3 at 10.55 p.m. Five men were in the bar without excuse, and the licensee admitted selling liquor to them.

E. L. Langrope, M. T. Mclntosh, R. I. Mclntosh, D. A. Kotlowski, and O. H. Harrington were each fined £3 for being unlawfully on the premises. Constable Rudhall then described a visit he paid to the Crown Hotel at Duvauchelle on the same night at 10.20. There was a large number of people standing and sitting round the bar. The licensee and his wife were behind the bar serving, and Jones continued to serve while the constable was in the bar. “When I started to take down names the licensee turned the lights off,” said Constable Rudhall. “I found him, .and after some hesitation he put the lights on again. I asked him to explain, and he became heated and said he would make his explanation in Court I asked him to produce the guest register, but while I was reading it he snatched it out of my hands. Three days later he apologised.” Mr K. A. Gough, who appeared for Jones and his wife, said that as it was holiday time there was a number of lodgers in the bar. The position became confused with strangers coming in. The licensee became upset, and when he offered later to make an explanation, the constable said he could make it in Court. He now wished to apologise in Court for his actions. Fines of £3 were imposed on each of the following for being on the premises unlawfully:—E. W Pegley, P. J. Ivory. F. Barry, D. Barry, E. Gregan. J. C. Gregan, N. M. Mason, E. A. Mason, A. A. Boot, V Bounty, H. Fleming. D Vogan, H. Purvis, M. Sebire, J. Moore. J. Ingle, and A. R. Ivory. The Magistrate warned both Chambers and Jones that a second conviction would prejudice their certificate of fitness if they applied for another licence.