DRINKING AT DRUIDS’ HALL

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29824, 17 May 1962, Page 8

DRINKING AT DRUIDS’ HALL

Dealing Conviction Quashed

Mr Justice Richmond, in a reserved judgment given in the Supreme Court yesterday, allowed an appeal by Kenneth Reuben Browne (Mr M. G. L. Loughnan) against a conviction for unlawfully dealing in liquor at ■ the Druids’ Hall, Woolston, on July IS last year. His Honour upheld Browne’s conviction on a second charge of having used the Druids’ Hall as a place of resort for the consumption of intoxicating liquor. His Honour said he took the view that the use of the liquor was not an unlawful dealing in liquor. He was satisfied that no charge was made for admission to the hall or tor the liquor supplied. The evidence suggested that Browne was receiving some part of the money wagered on horse racing in the hall, and His Honour was satisfied that Browne hoped in that way to cover his expenses for the evening, and no doubt to shew a profit. He said the evidence negatived the existence of any agreement that the liquor would be supplied only to persons who gambled, or that there was any obligation to gamble imposed on persons who availed themselves of the liquor. Regarding the charge at using the hall as a place of resort for the consumption of liquor, his Honour said there might well be cases where the consumption of liquor played so small a pert in the purpose tor which the premises were used that it could not fairly be said that the premises were used as described in this charge. In this case, however, the bar was open about half of the time and the hall was, in his Honour’* opinion, kept open for a double purpose, notwithstanding that the drinking might have been ancillary to the gambling. Mr N. W. Williamson appeared tor the Crown at the hearing of the appeal.