HOTEL OFFENCES

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 35, 4 November 1933, Page 17

HOTEL OFFENCES

Licensee and Barman Fined In delivering reserved judgment in a licensing ease in the Folice Court yesterday, the magistrate, Mr. ID. Page. S.M., convicted and fined the licensee of the Dominion Hotel, John Coyle, and tlie barman-porter, Frank Hill, £5 and £1 resjiectively, with costs. Coyle was charged with unlawfully selling liquor, unlawfully opening tlie premises for the sale, of liquor, and unlawfully exposing the liquor for sale. The facts of tlie.case were that Hili had served a man witli liquor on a Sunday morning when the licensee was at church. Coyle’s argument was that Hill bad no authority to sell the liquor, mid tlie substantial question was whether Coyle was liable for Hill’s actions. Stating that defendant must lie convicted. tlie magistrate said that the licensee had admitted to tlie police that Hill would have authority to supply lodgers. “I think.” he said, “that tlie proper conclusion to be drawn on the whole of the facts is that the selling of liquor to lodgers after hours was within the scope of his authority, and that the licensee is liable in respect of this sale, notwithstanding that it may have been made without his knowledge and in breach of his express instructions.” Coyle was convicted of selling, tlie other charges being withdrawn. Hill was convicted of unlawfully supplying liquor.