SLY-GROG SELLING

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20262, 1 June 1940, Page 5

SLY-GROG SELLING

WOMAN’S OFFENCE FINE OF £lO IMPOSED SHOP SEARCHED BY POLICE (Special (o the Herald.) WAIROA, this day. A search by the police in a confectionery shop at North Clyde one evening and the discovery oi' a quantity of beer and empty bottles resulted in the appearance before Mr. J. Miller. S.M.. in the Wairoa Police Court of Mihi Campbell lo answer a charge of selling intoxicating liquor when she was not licensed to do so. She pleaded not guilty, but was convicted and .fined £lO and costs. Mr. C. V. Chamberlain, appeared Mr the defendant Sergeant L. T. Moore told tlie court that at 9 p.m. on March 9 Constables A. McLellan and S. Tucker were on duty in Carroll street when they accosted a Maori who had a bottle of beer protruding from a pocket. When questioned the Maori said he purchased two bottles of beer from defendant's shop, paying 5s for them. A search warrant was obtained, added the sergeant, and later in the evening he visited the shop accompanied by Constables McLellan and Tucker. As a result of a search (12 empty bottles and one full bottle of beer were found in the shop and in a locker in a small room at one end of the shop 34 full bottles were discovered. When asked if she had any explanation to make, the defendant said the beer did not belong to her, but was the property of a man named Goodall. Evidence along these lines was given by police witnesses. Defendant’s Explanation

Opening the case for the defence. Mr. Chamberlain .slated that the. only evidence as to the actual sale of liquoi was that of a native, who. on his own admission, was drunk on the day on which the offence was alleged to have been committed. Suspicion was not proof. The magistrate said that rarely m sly-grog prosecutions was there direct evidence. Referring to the empty bottles found on the premises Mr. Chamberlain stated that according to defendant they had been collected over a period. Defendant, said, in evidence, that the beer found on the premises was tht property of a man named Goodall. who went to the shop for his meals. Henry Carter Goodall gave evidence ;ha't lie had his evening meals at the shop and purchased about 3doz. bottles of beer to drink with his meals. The beer found in the locker belonged to him. The Magistrate said he did not believe the story told by Goodall. and neither did he believe the evidence of the defendant.