Magistrate’s Court Coffee Houses Charged With Labour Breaches

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29848, 14 June 1962, Page 10

Magistrate’s Court Coffee Houses Charged With Labour Breaches

Decision was reserved by Mr E. A. Lee. S.M., in the Magistrate's Court yesterday when he heard charges of alleged breaches of the Shops and Offices Act against the Attic Coffee House. Ltd., and against Adam Ferkatovich, proprietor of the Copper Cat Restaurant.

The Attic Coffee House, Ltd., was charged with employing assistants contrary to the provisions of the act. and Ferkatovich was charged with employing a female assistant for more than one hour after 10.30 p.m Both defendants. - who pleaded not guilty, were represented by Mr B. McClelland. Mr H. G. Duncan, of Wellington, appeared for the Inspector of Factories. Both the charges were heard together. Mr Duncan said that girls between the ages of 18 and 21 were allowed to work until midnight if serving at a banquet, social function, dance, or similar evening. Girls over 21 could work to 5.30 a.m. the following day at such functions, but not if thdy were held at restaurants.

Mr McClelland said the age of the girls and that they were employed after midnight were not contested, but the defence case would be that the two premises were not restaurants, as they provided entertainment and da.’ » ng in addition to meals. Sydney Jackson Harris, an inspector of factories, said that he visited the Attic at 1 aan. on Sunday, February 17. Two women were serv-

ing as waitresses. and tbe place Weis very crowded. He considered the dancing of a fox-trot or a waltz would be restricted, but it might be possible to twist. A television set and a record player were on the .premises for entertainment. To Mr McClelland, the witness said that both waitresses were over 21.

Thomas Reginald Tooman., an inspector of factories, who visited the Copper Cat at 1240 Sju. cn the same day. said he had '‘somewhat of a struggle to get to the coun-i ter.” He said the waitress serving on tables told him she was over 20 and the other 1 woman working in the kitchen was approximately 34 or 35. “It would be physically impossible to dance.” said the witness. Cross-Examined, he said he did not know there was a dance door outside on the balcony, although he had been told since there was.

Both Ferkatovich and D i E. PoweJl. managing-director: of . the Attic Coffee House. Ltd., said in evidence that! dancing was held on their] □remises Ferkatovich said he had applied for a dance-' hall licence, and. having' made considerable alterations [ to the premises, hoped to get i the licence next week The I establishment had been ad-1 vertised as a dine and dance i Mr McClelland submitted] that neither establishment] was a restaurant as defined in the act. which described restaurants as premises serving meals to the public. In the act restaurants were associated with tea-rooms and oyster bars. The modern level of dine-and-dance establishments should be classed with cabarets and balls. CHARGES ADMITTED Pleading guilty to two charges of wilful damage to the extent of £9. and one charge of being unlawfully on enclosed premises on June 12. Deso Csibrik, aged 35, a workman, was convicted and remanded until June 15 for sentence.

Senior-Sergeant G. M. i Cleary said that at 5.30 p.tn I two women saw a man in al house, they were entering in Worcester street. The man. Csibrik, mumbled something and pushed his way past them. He said that one of the women then locked the door of the house, and on a num-I ber of occasions the accused i knocked on the front doori and then the back door of| the house. The accused then smashed, a pane of glass, valued at £l.| in a back window and gained entry. The police were called, and when interviewed the accused was very incoherent and gave no reason for his actions. He had been drinking. A camera inside the house was later found to have been damaged to the extent of £B. The accused admitted the damage, but had no excuse

to offer, said Senior-Sergeant Cleary. , REMANDED

On a charge of theft of articles, valued at £2 2s 6d, on June 8, Gordon Stewart McClintock, aged 30, was remanded until June 15.

Jointly charged with 1 burglary on June 12. Kevin ! James Scalmer, aged 18, and 1 George Raymond Longshaw, aged 18, were remanded on ! bail until June 22. Alan Leslie Giles, aged 28. was remanded on bail to June 1 15 on a charge of stealing a bicycle, valued at £ 15, on March 9. On a charge of burglary on June 9, James Gregory Logan, aged 18. was remanded on bail io June 18 Peter John Peterson, aged 18. was remanded on bail to June 15 on a charge of theft of articles, valued at £4. between June 6 and June 11. NO TV LICENCE On a charge of having no television licence on March 26. Jocelyn Ethel O’Connor was convicted and fined £3 She did not appear. Mr N Williamson, who appeared for the Post Office, said it was thought that this prosecution was the first ofj its kind brought in New Zea-1 land. Other such charges! were pending, and the de-1 partment viewed the offence! as more serious than, that I of not having a radio licence ' UNREGISTERED DOGS On charges of keeping un-i registered dogs, the follow-’ Ing were fined: Keith Thomas Marriott. £3: Francis James McCarthy. £3; Pamela McClure. £3: Donald McLean. £3: Anne Russell Scott. £3; Frank Robert Tindall. £l. SHOP NOT CLOSED On a charge of failing to close his shop in Office road on May 1. George Humphries was convicted and fined £3 He pleaded guilty