SLY-GROG SELLERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 February 1942, Page 8

SLY-GROG SELLERS

DOPED LIQUOR FOR TROOPS WELLINGTON, February 15.

“Since my letter I have been informed that the matter has been causing some anxiety to the authorities, who are, and have been, doing their best to cope with the position,” said the Mayor (Mr. T. C. A. Hislop) to-night, in reply to a question about what action had been taken by the police and military authorities, following his recent complaint about disorderly conduct by members of the forces and some civilians in the streets of Wellington. He said the matter had received the earnest consideration of the Government, and the Prime Minister (Mr. Fraser) had written him on February 12 that Cab inet had already agreed to the introduction of regulations giving the police special powers of search without a warrant as had been done in the last war. “I should like to make it clear,’ said the Mayor, “that complaints made by citizens refer to a small proportion of troops. The times are not normal, and we cannot expect peacetime conditions to prevail. Reasonable latitude is due to the men, many of whom have been weeks and sometimes months at sea in the service ol our cause, and many others have been for long periods in training camps, but gross misconduct in our streets by a few must be checked. “The main cause of the trouble has been the growth of sly-grog-selling, not in hotels but by various people out to make money out of troops by selling them adulterated liquor, in many cases eloped with methylated spirits. There is evidence of this, and the police are on the track of offenders. The added power given them will greatly strengthen their hands. “The legitimate trade itself has shown its sense of duty in the matter,” added the Mayor, “and I am personally aware that, through its own organisation, it has done, and is doing, its best to meet a difficult situation. Personally, I think that' with the elimination of the sly-grog-seller the main cause of the trouble will be removed.”