LIQUOR SOLD TO YOUTHS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 287, 4 September 1928, Page 6

LIQUOR SOLD TO YOUTHS

BREACH OF LICENSING ACT . CASE IN PALMERSTON Palmerston North, September 3. Charges of selling liquor to youths under the age of 21 years were preferred in the Magistrate’s Court this morning a-ainst J. I’. Boyle, licensee of the Central Hotel, and Mrs. Katherine Rickard, widow, manageress of the hotel, both of whom pleaded not guilty. After considerable evidence had been heard the charge against the licensee was dismissed on the ground of insufficient evidence, Mrs. Rickard being convicted and fined £5 and costs. - . Senior-Sergeant Whitehouse stated, in outlining the case to Mr. J. L. Stout, S M„ that the youths in question, who were aged Mi and 18 years respectively, attended a dance at the A. and P. hall on August 10, and about 8 p.m. left the hall and visited one hotel in search of liquor, but were refused. Later they visited the Central Hotel, where they were told to go into the dining-room, and they were there given a bottle of stout. On August 15 both youths visited the hotel in company with Sergeant .1 ower, and separately identified the lady who had given them the liquor as the manageress of the hotel. Evidence corroborating the statement of the senior-sergeant was given by both youths, .Tames AL Erenstrom and A. K. Sykes, both of whom admitted, when replying to Mr. Cooper (who appeared for the defendants), that they had never seen the manageress before in their lives, and that the licensee of the hotel was notabout on the night they were at the h °Sergeant Power stated in evidence that he took both the youths to the hote lon August 15, and they both identified the manageress as the lady who had served them with liquor. At this stage Mr. Cooper submitted that the case against the licensee, should be dismissed, His Worship reserving the point for consideration. As far as the manageress was concerned, stated Mr. Cooper, evidence would be given that she bad never been in the bar for the purpose ot serving liquor, and that in any case on tie evening mentioned in the information she was -visiting friends in Annondale Avenue, having left the hoted about i n.m. and returned about 10.4 d p.m. one had never , seen either of the boys be--10 Evidence in support of the. alibi set up was given by a resident of Annondale Avenue, who seated that Mrs. Rickard arrived at her-place about 7.10 pm on August 10 and returner, about 10.30 P.m., and by S. Moree, taxi driver, who informed the Magistrate that he was called to Annondale Avenue about 10.30 p.m. and drove Mrs. Rickard down to the Central Hotel. Evidence from the licensee cone tided the case for the defence. In reply to Mr. Cooper, J. P. Boyle stated that he did not know much about the alleged offence of the ' Licensing Act. Mrs. Rickard, he stated, had no authority to sell liquor to anyone and had never done so to the best of his knowledge. ■ As far as the case against the licensee -was concerned, stated His Worship, that would have to be. dismissed on the grounds of insufficient evidence. Hie manageress had set up the defence of alibi but, His Worship commented, tins defence was liable/to be looked upon with suspicion if it had not been set up at the time of the chprge being made—and it "seemed that defendant had been given ample opportunity to make the defence when Sergeant Power visited the hotel on August 15. There seemed no doubt but that the youths obtained liquor at the hotel and that lletendnnt had supplied it to them. A conviction would be. entered and defendant'would be fined £5 and costs.