Liquor seized in raid

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33477, 7 March 1974, Page 3

Liquor seized in raid

(New Zealand Press Association)

BLENHEIM, March 6.

The police raided the Blackwood Bay Boatels in Queen Charlotte Sound on January 26, and confiscated liquor worth about $l5OO from an illegal bar, the Blenheim Magistrate’s Court was told today.

The owners of the premises for the last 10 months, Ross Charles Edwards, aged 29, and Adrienne Joan Edwards, aged 27, admitted charges of selling, keeping, and exposing liquor for sale when they were not authorised to do so.

Taking into account the estimated value of beer and spirits confiscated by the police, Mr E. S. Tuckwell, S.M., convicted and fined each defendant $5O on one charge, and ordered payment of costs on the other two.

Prosecuting, Sergeant N. M. G. Cook said a policeman in plain clothes went to the boatels, where he ordered and was sold six cans of beer.

He returned with a constable and sergeant, and entered a bar at the rear of the premises called the “Quarterdeck.” A large quantity of beer and spirits in dispensers was found in the bar.

The defendants readily admitted selling liquor without a licence. They said they had applied for a licence, but the appli,cation had not been heard. They had been selling liquor over the holidays, hoping they would not get caught.

Counsel (Mr J. F. Drylie) said the defendants had owned the boatels only 10 months. Guests had asked them to supply liquor. Counsel’s legal firm had been approached three months ago by the defendants to apply for a liquor licence. A difficulty was that the premises did not qualify for either a restaurant or hotelkeeper’s licence. It was hoped to have an application before the Liquor Licencing Commission in the next month. The value of the beer confiscated was about $5OO, while spirits confiscated totalled about $lOOO. Sergeant Cook said the police would not dispute the figure.