“SLY GROG”

Greymouth Evening Star, 1 December 1925, Page 8

“SLY GROG”

A TAUPO PROSECUTION. AUCKLAND, November 26. A motor-car, a number- of sacks of whisky in bottles, a quantity of beer and wine, and a rifle figured in a story unfolded in the Taupo Police Court on Tuesday, when a series of charges in connection .with sly-grogging were dealt with by Mr. W. G. K. Kenrick, S.M. John Atiaru Asher, manager of theTokaamr Hotel, was charged with supplying liquor for the purposes of being sold without a license in a proclaimed area, and further, with delivering the liquor without proper labels. •The two men to whom the liquor was supplied, G. J. Gourlay and Peter Machileck, were charged with sly-grog selling. They did not appear. Mr. Northcroft, of Auckland, appeared for Asher. A range)- stated that he interviewed Gourlay and Machileck on the main Tokaanu-Waimarino road. He found the car laden with fourteen cases of whisky packed in sacks, also some beer and wine. There was a rifle in the car. A police officer stated that both Gourlay and Machileck had been previously convicte'd of sly grog selling and were a menace to the well-being of the community. Witness had been warned not to bail up the car f alone, as the men were bringing in liquor under arms.

Gout - ]ay was convicted and sentenced to three months’ hard labour. Mackileck, against whom there were three charges, was sentenced to three months on one charge, one month on the second charge, and was fined £lO and costs on the third. Mr. Northcroft, for Asher, explained that defendant had supplied the liquor innocently, being unaware that it was for sly grog selling. Asher had accepted the explanation given that the liquor was for a number of 1 people at.Raetihi. Defendant was fined £3O and 7s costs for supplying liquor, and £lO for failing to attach labels.