Restaurants Raided By Wellington Police

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28921, 15 June 1959, Page 10

Restaurants Raided By Wellington Police

(New Aeautna Press Association)

WELLINGTON, June 14. A number of ugly acene* developed m poUee made liquor raids on three of Wellington’s restaurants on Saturday night. Angered patrons had sharp words with police as names were taken and liquor confiscated. The establishments’ managers were kept at bay while the raids took place, in many cases leaving the patrons without a spokesman.

The restaurants, the Tulip, the Boulevard and Orsini’s, all serve meals in Continental fashion, and, in all cases, it was their first raid.

The raids, which managers and patrons described as “Gestapolike,” took place between 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.—a time when the establishments were doing brisk business.

The first raid took place at the Boulevard, in Victoria street. “We had. a big crowd,” said the manager, Mr Bart Cox. “The first thing I knew there were eight or 10 policemen and a policewoman in the restaurant. One blocked the entrance, while another stood guard at the kitchen. “The police started taking names and confiscating wine. A number of customers had their names taken, although they were not drinking wine. Some protested rather vehemently, and there were some unpleasant scenes. “It was about 10 minutes before the sergeant produced a search warrant,” said Mr Cox. “After his men had confiscated the wine in the restaurant, they proceded to take all the cooking wine from the kitchen. I protested that I needed it for cooking purposes, but it was no use.

“My personal property wag searched, the petty-cash ■ book taken and my cheques examined." Customers were not allowed to leave or enter during the raid and he had lost a lot of business through it, said Mr Cox. At the Tulip, the manager, Mr Joseph van Bunick, said he was held in his office while the raid took place.

“The patrons at each table were searched individually, and my best cooking wine taken from the kitchen. The police found no wine on the tables, but some customers had their names taken,” he said. At Orsini’s the method was much the same and some patrons’ names were taken. The three managers met this morning to discuss the raids and agreed that it was time there was a change in the law governing the sale of wine with meals. The police would not comment on the incident tonight, but it was suggested that charges would ba made.