Liquor in Auckland Yugoslav Club

Grey River Argus, 19 February 1949, Page 6

Liquor in Auckland Yugoslav Club

AUCKLAND, Feb. 18. When the Yugoslav Society Marshal Tito (Inc.) was charged in the Police Court to-day with offences under the Licensing Act, a constable said in evidence that he visited the premises in Hobson street and bought a bottle of beer and drank it. There were over 150 men, women and children on the premises and the main entertainment seemed to be a dance. There was a notice above the door, "members only.’’ The constable said that when he searched the premises he found about 1000 bottle of liquor, mostly on the bar-rooin floor. Defending counsel, Mr Haig, raised the point that, in view of an amendment to the Licensing Act, the onus was on the prosecution to prove that what the constable drank was intoxicating liquor. He recalled a Hastings case in which the liquor seized was actually cold tea. Mr J. H. Luxford S.M., reserved his decision, saying that he would note the point raised by counsel.