WESTPORT COURT NEWS.

Grey River Argus, 30 May 1922, Page 8

WESTPORT COURT NEWS.

(Before Mr T. E. Maunscll, S.M.) WESTPORT, May 29. z\t n special sitting of the local Magistrate’s Court on Saturday afternoon at 3 o’clock tho police proceeded against Elizabeth Patterson proprietre. s of Ayers’s Hotel) for illicit hiding. The case hinged on theevidenre of an s.s. Waipori seamen, who happened to be in port at the time. Mr Molony (on behalf of defendant) pleaded “not guilty.” Witnesses \ve:r ordered to withdraw from the Court. Sergeant Ryan outlined the circumstances of the case, and asked his \\ orship to decide whether several defendants were lodgers. The defendants were found in the lioetl on Saturday night (May 20). The men found there had had liquor, and said th< • were lodgers. The two men gave their names as Phillips and Jones and Mrs Paiterson produced the bedroom book showing the names. One was a cook and the other a steward. The Sergeant said the boat was to leave early next morning and he was prepared to prove that the men did not put up at the hotel, but on the boat. Sergeant Ryan (sworn) said that at 10.30 on the night of the 20th, in company with Constable Ad; ms, he visited Ayers’s Hotel, and in the parlour found two men with glasses of beer. One man said ho was Cyril Phillips (Waipori), and that his boat* was sailing at I o’clock in the morning. Phillips said Harry Jones was paying for the drinks. Both said they were staying there for the night, as they had stayed there last night. Mrs Patterson produced the book, showing Phillips and Jones as lodgers for both Friday and Saturday nights. The men had gone aboard between 5 and 6 o’clock in the morning and in tho evening had come between 7 ami b o ’dock. To Mr Molony, the Sergeant said there had been no delay in getting inti the hotel. How he came to go there wm that there was a fireman from the Wai pori missing. He considered he had been misled in certain respects, be cause he failed to see why wrong name' had been given. He found out fron the steamer that the men were in theii bunks instead of (as alleged ) lodgers at the hotel. Constable Adams gave corroborativi evidence. On calling at the hotel, th' door was opened by a boarder. W liei inside, the Constable found one mai with a glass of boor in his hand. Phil lips : nd Jones claimed to lie boarders and Mrs Patterson produced the bool showing Phillips and Jones booked Phillips said he thought, the boat wa to sail at 4 a.m., and Jones verifier this. Peter Thomas (sworn) said he wa foreman senman aboard the Waipori On her last trip, he was nightwatch man. She arrived on May 19 at 7.3 p.m. At 5 a.m. on the Sunday mornin; she was up to sail. He called the coo! and steward at 5.30 a.m. on tho Sunda; morning. It was one of his duties I call these men. To Mr Malony: He called the mon sef arrtelv—the cook first. The men wei awake when called. He could not sa whether they were dressed; and coni' not remember whether they were unde or on the blankets. He did not se them come aboard, but it was possibl for them to do so without his knowing The men were not in their bunks a 1.30 that morning. He knew they ha slept ashore at several towns. Me often slept ashore on account of noise on the steamer. They were supplie to be on duty at 6 a.m. To the Sergeant: He could nut swea whether tho men wore asleep. Th steward was awake. He looked in th room at 1.30 because it was open. Th light was going all night. To the Court: He could not say win tber the steward was on board at 1.3 but he was at 5.30, though witnes could not say whether he had his clothe on. There was no sign of drink. To Mr Molony: The electric light wa left going all night in the cook’s roou except when ho went to bed early, an then the light was switched off. This closed the case for the polbu Mr Molony opened tor defeudair stating the men had stayed at th hotel in a cpiite legal manner. The had arranged for lodgings, and, a far as Mrs Patterson was concerns there was no offence. The Magistrate said there were tw entries on the book. Friday night contract had nothing to do with tl contract, for Saturday night. Mr Molony said the men had pai for their beds the night before, an had arranged to be called at 5 a.m. Mrs Patterson (sworn), owner ( Ayers’s Hotel, who gave evidence th; on the Friday night, these two mt came to her house and engaged lod ings. She booked their names an showed them their rooms. They ga> the mines of Phillips and Jones. SI did not know them. They said tin were going to get up early, so she g:r them an alarm clock. She never sa them again until the Saturday evenin when they both booked up again, b tween 7 and 8 o’clock, giving the san names, and they were supplied with . al: rm clock. They stayed on to S;i urday night, but she did not see m hear them going out on the Sund; morning. The beds had I n occupic To the Sergeant: Shu did not kno what time the men came to the hotel « the Friday evening. She did not kno which ot them asked for the beds, rd got the girl to book the men s name On the Friday night, they had sever, drinks and got to bed about 1 I o’cloc To the Magistrate: They had no lu. gftjfe, nor meals on the premises. To the Sergeant: The men paid 2 each "for beds. She did not know wh: time the men went aboard on thir Sun day morning. The men set the alarm clock, and she thought the cook took it

■ away. Poth men slept in room No. 2 on the Saturday night, and she had booked both up. To the Magistrate: The men came in . bout 9 o’clock on Saturday nignt and it was 10.30 when the police came in. They had two rounds of drinks,; but up to that time had not been upstairs on the night in question. To the Sergeant: There was no luggage or meals. Si e disputed several of the Sergeant's statements. Cyril Johnson, cook of the Waipori (sworn), gave evidence that he had never been in Court before. On the Friday night ho slept in Ayers's Hotel, where he booked up with a shipmate of his—Ryan. He gave his name as Phillips because some of them objected to the name of Johnson, which seemed foreign. lie stopped at hotels in various parts of the Dominion, and never had trouble like this before. At. the hotel, he set the alarm for 1.20 a.m. It did not take him much time to in the hotel, and to change on tho boat into his working “clobber.” On the Saturday night he booked up again at the hotel, with his mate, Ryan. He occupied the room, ami got down aboard just before 5 a.m., and lay down on his bunk. He stayed ashore on account of the noise on the boat, owing to coal loading. 'Die bed was 2/- n man, and they had been kind to them. The Magistrate here, cross-examined the witness and said he noted that Mrs Patterson had left the Court, and mentioned to Mr Molony that, ■witnesses outside must not be spoken to. Mr Molony explained that Mrs Patterson complained of being sick, but he (counsel) had noticed that a constable had followed her out!

Johnson (cook) said he slept in his pants that night. He set the alarm for 4.20 a.m., so as to get to work early. He could not explain why he went to bed with bis pants on. lie wanted to have a good sleep ashore on account of the bustle on the ship. On the Saturday night, he did not know why the names should be booked up again. He did not go to the hotel to book up for the purpose of getting drink. lie would have booked up at this hotel, whether it was a temperance one or not. He had three or four drinks at the hotel that night. The reason they stayed the second night was because they had been so well treated on the previous night. Tho Magistrate insisted that defendant should give a reason why he stopped at the hotcl„on the Sunday night. Defendant stated to the Sergeant that, it was the first time he had heard that steamers were nut worked on Sunday morning. The Magistrate continued to press witness for a definite answer. Defendant ultimately stated that, the reason he stayed ashore was because of the noise aboard the ship, and because he was so well treated on the previous night by the landlady. ’ The Magistrate failed to get what Im I considered a satisfactory answer. | To tho Sergeant hi* said he stayed at various hotels in the colony. The Magistrate: Did you give tho ' police a wrong name? Witness: The first time, or the second time? The Magistrate: Will you give mi an answer? After a few minutes more, the wit ness was ordered by His Worship tf stand down. Harry Ryan, assistant steward on the Waipori (sworn), corroborated cor tain pluses of the preceding witness’sevidence. He booked under the naim of Jones at the hotel, because he die • not want to be bothered by friend: calling for him. He did not like friendto call, because he was a man whe could not refuse. llis reason for sleep ing ashore was because there was toe “ much noise aboard. The boat worket, ' until colse on 12 on the Saturday night If he were to go aboard at 9 o’clock what was he to do until the noise 1 ceased at 12 o’clock? He paid 2/- foi • the bed on the Friday, and consider ' ing it worth it; he also paid 2/- on tilt Saturday night. To the Sergeant: It was not becaust • the “enemy’’ arrived that he took tin i name of Jones at the hotel. The rea son for going aboard so early was si ■ as not to be late. The clock was sei , for 4.20 a.m., but they could pleas-. ‘ themselves if they set it at 5.20 a.m It would take 10 minutes to dress am • five minutes to get to the boat. ’Dim ; had no luggage or no meals in the hotel To the Magistrate: A man would pre '» for to sleep in a bed ashore rather thai s in a bunk on the steamer. That wonk 3 apply to the Saturday night. He knew loading that night was to cease at .1 I o’clock. Witness turned 21 years u I age on Anzac Day. To the Sergeant: He denied fhal h f had spoken tu Mrs Patterson outsid t just. now. ■1 I’he Magistrate ordered this witnes ? to stand down also. I Mr Molony said his case was no\ e closed. •' His Worship intimated he ■would rc y serve decision in this case. He too e note of Nirs Patterson’s evidence, bn v did not place much reliance on th b others. Johnson and Phillips [(leaded no e guilty to being on licensed premise a during illegal hours. Sergeant Ryan ajipeared for the pi f lice, ami reiterated the main ]»oints i y the evidence given above. I. Nir Molony (for the accused) cros:v examined m thu direction regarding th n giving ot wrong names. v Mr Molony addressed thu Punch o; e behalf of accused. *• Die Magistrate said he would fin I each accused 2:'/- and 7/- costs. Th Court then closed.