Sly-Grog Team Bought 10,000 Bottles Of Beer

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30190, 23 July 1963, Page 7

Sly-Grog Team Bought 10,000 Bottles Of Beer

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, July 22. A sly-grogging team in Auckland bought 10,584 bottles of beer from one wholesaler in Auckland in three months, Mr M. B. Scully, S.M., was told ia the Magistrate’s Court today. Before the Court was William Keepa, aged 27, a workman, who pleaded guilty to 14 charges of selling liquor without a licence. The offences were committed in Auckland between September 1 and September 20, 1962. Keepa was fined £lO on each charge. Sergeant D. A. Davey said an Auckland constable went to a house in Spring street, Ponsonby, on September 1 as the result of numerous complaints of noisy, drunken parties. The constable bought three bottles of beer for 12s. and made a similar purchase on September 3. On September 4 the constable was present when Keepa was given money to buy 26 dozen bottles of beer. The constable accompanied Keepa to the wholesaler and later on a trip distributing the beer to several Auckland addresses.

The next day the constable went again with Keepa to the wholesaler and from 7 p.m. that night until 5 a.m. the constable helped move the liquor from a car parked outside the Spring road house into the house, where a number of persons were buying beer and drinking it. On September 6 the constable went with Keepa to the wholesaler and purchased 30 bottles. That night he was present with 50 or 60 persons at a house in Franklin road. Parnell, and purchased three bottles of beer from Keepa. Next day the constable was present at another address where a large crowd was drinking and again bought beer at 4s a bottle.

On a Saturday morning the constable went with a man named Waru to a liquor wholesaler where he saw Waru pay £53 for 40 dozen bottles of beer. The constable delivered some of the beer to two addresses in Auckland and kept eight dozen bottles in his car.

Sergeant Davey said that at 9.25 pjn. that day a warrant was executed on the house at Franklin road. Some 45 men and women were present. All had been drinking and some were in advanced stages of intoxication. The police seized 300 bottljs of beer from the house .and a further 96 bottles from the constable’s car. In several nights during the next week the constable went to a house in Brighton

road, Parnell, where persons were drinking beer. He bought beer from Keepa. On September 4, police executing another warrant, entered the house and took some beer. Even after the execution of the two warrants, beer was still sold at the Spring street address.

As a resifit of the evidence the constable obtained, two other men were convicted, said Sergeant Davey.