SLY-GROG CHARGE

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 173, 18 April 1942, Page 3

SLY-GROG CHARGE

Salesman Convicted

Evidence that the proprietor of an establishment in the Express Building, Customhouse Quay, seemed agitated when answering telephone calls that came during the progress of a police raid was given in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, yesterday, when Walter Roy Webster, salesman, and Elsie Verona Bostock, appeared before Mr. Harley, S.M., charged with breaches of the licensing laws. Webster was said to have answered the ealls by saying that there was nothing doing, and on one occasion added: "Some people are very dense.” •A constable gave evidence of ringing .up tile Express Building one night and asking if it was all right for him to come across and have a drink, lie was told it was. He represented himself as a seaman off an intercolonial vessel, and when in the room m the building rented by Webster he bought two bottles of beer at 2/b a bottle, lie said there was an improvised bar in the room, and Mrs. 80.-tock was collecting all the cash for liquor sold. The constable said on the first occasion he went there there was only a near beer for sale, but on the second occasion, three nights later, be was sold real beer. Denying that he had been asked to leave on tne s.cond occasion, lie said that on the contrary he had been invited to come back and b. .ng his friends. •■sergeant L. .Jackson said that lie raided tile Express Building with two other police serg ants at 10.25 p.m. on March J. Tney entered the room rented by Wel.s.er, and found ten people there, mi n and women. From the vicinity of the bar they recovered several empty bottles, some , of which bore the laud of-a near beer and some of a real beer. Asked to explain the real beer bottles, accused replied: ”1 cannot account for it. That is all.” In reply to counsel for aceusid, Mr. S. 'G. Stephenson, witness said that all the time he was there there was no conduct in the place, which could be taken exception to. No one was drunk.

r'or the defence Mr. Stephenson said Webster was running the place on a purely business basis, and on no occasion was real beer sold there. The establishment was for the sale of near bier, which it was not illegal for him to sell, but on two nights a week Webster disiributed some real beer to those who had been regular patrons during the week. lie said lie never sold the real beer, as he could make all the money he wauled out of the sale of near beer.

The magistrate convicted Webster and imposed a line of £25. 'Hie information against Mrs. Bostock was dismissed.