HAWERA’S WINE STORE.

Hawera Star, Volume XLV, 9 December 1925, Page 9

HAWERA’S WINE STORE.

MOVE TO TERMINATE. LICENSE.

REJECTED BY LICENSING COMMITTEE. Tlie police, tlie Women’s Christian Temperance Union, the owners of the 'property concerned, the mortgagees, 'and the licensee, were all represented at Hawera Courthouse this, afternoon, 'when, before, the Licensing Committee, waS' heard an echo of the: case 1 recently before the Hawera Magistrate’s Court, when David Leith Forman, licensee of the wine store in Princes- Street, was convicted and' fined £5 for supplying liquor to a person under the age of 21 vears, which penalty was coupled with an endorsement of his license. The police, proceeding under a disciplinary section of the Licensing Act, 'raised an objection to the continuation of the license and asked that it be terminated. The police objection, however, was dismissed, while a petition 'put forward by the Women *8 Christian 'Temperance Union, and signed by 172 electors, was disallowed on the grounds 'that it was brought on general terms outside of the scope of the committee. Ail objection by the police inspector, which was put in by Sergeant Henry, brought under the notice of the committee what was described as.the unsatisfactory manner . in • which the licensee conducted his premises, ancl .asked that the committee he good enough to exercise the powers conferred under section 101 of the Licensing Act; 1908, by determining the license on the ‘ grounds of such improper conduct. The circumstances in connection with the offence disclosed a demoralising state’ of affairs ancl indicated that the licensee had failed to realise his responsibilities. contended the police. lhree voting men, aged 21, 19, and 16, had vsited the premises and had been served with several drinks of wine and lemonade, none of them hemg asked whether he was 21 years of age. Later two young women entered the shop and were joined by the three young men, the party being supplied indiscriminately with a consideiable amount of liquor.