“ONLY FOOLING”

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 11954, 26 May 1933, Page 2

“ONLY FOOLING”

HOLE L LICENSEE’S COSTLY J OKE FINED FOR OBSTRUCTING POLICE.

"I was hasty at the moment, but I’m sorry for what I have- done,” said Leonard Joseph Adams, licensee of the Carlton Club Hotel, Newmarket, when charged before Mr F. lv. Hunt, S.M., 'in the Police Court, with obstructing the police in the execution of their duty. Another cliargo of delaying thjo police nil the discharge of their duty was withdrawn. Sergeant Finch said that on tho evening of April 2.5 he- got no reply to his knock on the front door of the hotel, and went round to the back. When he got back the licensee had! admitted Constable Bowie. AVhen witness went ftito the hotel, the licensee called him a “persecutor.” Both bars were locked, and witness asked Adorns if there was any one in the hotel. Adams had said that he had some friends upstairs AVhen witness looked upstairs, nobody was there, and) Adams said, he was “only fooling.”

“I admit I should not have said what I did say,” said l Adams in evidence. “I did not obstruct the police.” To Detective-Sergeant! McHugh, witness admitted that he had been fined £lO in 1931 for failing to admit the. i-ho police, and also for selling liquor after hours.

“This man has said ho is sorry lor what he said,” remarked the magistrate, '“but in my view he did obstruct when lie said there .wore friends upstairs and then declared that • lie was only fooling. I believe what the sergeant says. Th’o police must be treated civilly when they arc d'oing their -duty/’

Defendant was fined £2 and costs 10s.