AFTER HOURS

Greymouth Evening Star, 26 October 1929, Page 12

AFTER HOURS

WELLINGTON LICENSEE FINED.

(Per Press Association.) i

WELLINGTON, October 25. As a result of a recent police:raid, Falkner, licensee of the was charged with selling l^ or hours; aiding and assisting othe the offence of being on licensed nremises after hours; and failing w admit the police without delay informations of allowing « quor to be consumed in the hotel after houjs. exposing liquor tor sale alter hours, and opening for sale aftei hours, were withdrawn. Barman Jack O’Brien had six informations preferred against him. Five were withdrawn, and he was only charged with selling after hours. Sub-Inspector Lander, outlining the case, said the police had reason to believe that the licensee had set himself out to carry on illegal trade bywatching the movements of the uniform police, and on keeping watch, they found as a fact that trade was being carried on, men being let in at a side door when all was clear. Sometimes the licensee himself would be out on the footpath, mingling with other men, and watching the police. On the night of the raid, the licensee himself was letting men \n. The police knocked plainly for twenty minutes. Eventually a constable pushed open a balcony window. He found the licensee, his wife and child in bed, but a torch showed that a room was full of men. The licensee instructed the barman, who was also in the room, to go down and let the police in. The' licensee tried to say he did not know the police were knocking, and tried to shoulder all the blame on the barman.

Falkner was fined £lO foi’ selling after hours, £5 for failing to admit the police, and £2 on the aiding charge. The first two convictions were endorsed on his license. O’Brien was fined £lO. Fourteen men, who were on the premises, were each fined £2. On the same night, Barnett’s Hotel was visited by a police sergeant. Seven men were found with glasses of liquor in front of them, and could, not satisfactorily explain their presence. Each was fined £lO. Charges against the licensee and porter were adjourned for a week, the police not opposing the application.