ALLEGED SLY GROG SELLING

Evening Post, Volume LIX, Issue 12, 15 January 1900, Page 6

ALLEGED SLY GROG SELLING

ANOTHER DEFENDANT FINED. The adjourned charge against Alfred Henry Truebiidge ancf Elizabeth Mary Gibbs of having bold liquor at the Taita on 24th December without being licensed, Avas gone on with before tho Stipendiary Magistrate this afternoon. Mr. Skerrett appeared for defendants. T,he admitted facts were that defendants supplied meals at a -xed rate of 2s, and gave beer with the luncheon without any special charge. The charge of 2s remained the same if the beer was not supplied. It was decided to ta"ke the case on these broad lines so that the who;e question, which it was stated would affect a good many people, could be decided. The Magistrate remarked that the defendant Truebiidge stood in a better position than did other defendants in previous cases who had adopted obvious devices to try and get round the Act. Here there was no pretence whatever. Mr. Skerrett argued £hat supplying the beer was not a sale, nor a transaction in the nature of a sale. The case was one destitute of ajiy express authority—a rather curious circumstance. His Worship asked if the test was not whether the beer was given in friendshij) or as a matter of bjusiness. Mr. Skerrett admitted that it could v hardly be called purely friendship. The Magistrate—Then is it not a sale pure and simple? Counsel still contended that thero. was no actual sale. Giving the beer wa.s purely voluntary on his 'part. On die question of penalty, if an offence wus considered to have been conhnitted. thove had been no attempt at concealment Truebridge had not the slightest kui he was doing wrong, and that on the institution of these proceedings the practico was stopped. Replying to the Bench, Inspector Pencler said he had no reason to suggest that this giving beer with luncheon was a. cover for other drinking, but the particular form of drinking being dealt with was caried on to i\ large extent. This last statement was, however, disputed by defendants. In giving his decision tho Magistrate said he thought that tho T>eer supplied with the meal was sold to the customer in the same way that the various viands wero sold. The idea that beer or liquor could be given in with meals by unlicons>ed persons was not new. If ho were to hold that liquor could be supplied by unlicensed pcr&ons Avith meals, the door would be open to illicit tiade. A heavy penalty was not required, but if after publication of this decision a similar excuse was set up in defence or mitigation it would not avail. Defendant was fined £5, with £l 5s costs.

The rukenui Estate, near Sanson, which was recently purchased from Mr. J. Bull and subdivided ' and leased by the Government is now ready for occupation by the lessees, the last of Mr. Bull's stock having now been auctioned. The place has been only very lightly stocked for the last two or three months, and the new occupiers have the advantago • of commencing with an abundant supply -* grass,