200 PER CENT!

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 23, 27 July 1914, Page 8

200 PER CENT!

PROFITS OF SLY-GROG-SELLERS OFFENDERS IN COURT. SEVERAL CONVICTIONS. "These men find sly grog-selling a yery .profitable business,'' said Inspector Hendrey in the Magistrate's Court today. "Very often, I believe, the profit runs up to 200 per cent." These remarks were relevant to several cases which came before Mr. D. G. A. Cooper, S.M. Arising out of a recent raid on a fish shop in Taranaki-street on the night of Saturday, the 18th instant, Frank Hayward was charged with selling liquor without a license. .Previous to-the raid a constable in plain clothes had entered the shop, and without any hesitation was supplied with a bottle of beer. Consequently a search warrant was obtained, and On the Saturday night mentioned Beveral bottles of beer and two jars of beer were secured. .

Hayward was represented by Mr. H. F. O'Leary, and entered a plea of guilty. Inspector Hendrey stated that the defendant had been for some years the proprietor of a fish and chip shop in Tara-naki-street. He suggested, also that Hayward had been guilty of sly-grog selling for some time past. The shop had been suspected for a long time. "He has been making 200 per cent, profit," said the Inspector, "and the only way to make him realise that he must not carry on this illegal trade is to make it not worth his while.''

Mr. O'Leary said that Hayward was making his first appearance before the Court. His fish and "chip business had not been paying, and he was tempted by s large prospective profits to trad* illegally. His Worship imposed a fine of £lO, with costs 7s, and fixed the alternative at one month in gaol. Mr. O'Leary asked for time, but inspector Hendrey objected. "I consider this man is in a position to pay the money right away," he said. His Worship allowed forty-eight hours. ON THE PREMISES. Horace George Hunt and Charles Nansen were charged with being found on the premises. -They' vt&re represented by Mr. O'Leary i.and : entered a plea of not guilty. '.■■■'.. Senior-Sergeant Dew, who had charge, of the raid, gave formal evidence of finding the men on the . premises.. They were-at the back of;the shop; He saw Munt. with a: glass of: beer, to his lips. Narisen was not drinking, but there was an empty glass on the'table. The defendants gave their correct names and addresses. ' Charles.Nansen said he .was second cook at the People's Palace Hotel,'" aiid knew Hay ward well. In company with Munt ho visited Hayward's premises on the night in question. Hayward was very busy, and witness went to the rear of the shop to. render . assistance by cutting up potatoes. When he had finished doing this Hayward said: "Will you have a beer?" Witness replied ''Yes," and was in the act of drinking when the police appeared on the scene. /.' His Worship refused to believe. the story and imposed a fine of 20s in each case. The alternative was fixed at 24 hours in gaol. SOLD LIQUOR'IN THE STREETS. John Williamson, who is at present undergoing a sentence of two months' impisonment for being a rogue and a vagabond, appeared to answer four charges of illegally selling liquor; ;He pleaded ! "For some time past,*' said,lnspector Hendrey, "several arrests for drunkenness have beeh made on the Te Aro Flat on Sundays. The matter \vas. becoming, rather serious, and so two-'6ons|ableß; ip plain clothes were sent out.' They found accused and another man retailing beer in the street. Their method was to 'have Cases of beer stowed in various parts. of the city. They would leave one or other of their various depots . with . a bottle concealed ■' under their coats> and offer to sell it, at a large price, to any likely customer. This man sold beer on four separate occasions to the two .constables. He is nothing more than a vagrant, and has always earned his living by doubtful; means." A sentence of two-months' imprisonment was imposed. A "NOVICE" CONVICTED. ". William .• M'Kay, a wharf labourer,, also pleaded guilty to selling liquor in the streets without a license. He waa represented by Mr. P. W. Jackson. Inspector Hendrey said he thought that all the cases were connected with one another. " There seems to be a sort of joint stock company formed in this vicinity, for the purpose of carrying on this trade." He did not want to see M'Kay lightly dealt with. On the other hand, such treatment should be meted out as would. constitute a warning to others. Mr. Jackson said his ! client was a " novice at the game," and. had no connection with any company which might exist. Ho was married and had a family. He was not in a good way financially, and had sold the hquor in the hope of making some money to keep his nome together. He now realised how unprofitable it was not to keep within the law. His Worship inflicted a penalty of £5lO, in default one month in gaol.