LICENSEE CONVICTED.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 1251, 21 May 1918, Page 3

LICENSEE CONVICTED.

EXPOSING LIQUOR FOR SAL!

ENDORSEMENT OF LICENSJ

Decision was given yesterday afternoon by Mr W. G. K. Kenrick. S.M., in the ea.se iii which tin- licensee of the Occidental Hotel (James Mitiln-U) was charged with exposing liquor for sale dining- tin 1 time in which the licensed premises were required to In closed, in giving judgment the Magis irate reviewed tin: evidonco given during the heaving of the case, saying that it had been proved that the front door, diningroom .door, and pantry doer were open when Sergeant Fitapa trick entered the hotel. One end of the pantry adjoin.-: the back of the private bar. and there is a door by which people can enter from the dining-room into the. pantry, and another door from the pantry into the kitchen, from which people can get into the back yard. There is: a wooden slide at the end of the pantry, which is a lung and narrow room, which opens into rhe private bar. The Magi-irate said he

found: (1) That ir is proved thai tiie slide from the paniry into the private bar was open: (2) that rhe bar v. a.- lit up; (3) that the licensee's wife was in the bar; (4) that eight men were in the pantry, four not being boarders; (5) thai a glass of beer ami several bottles were on the counter, on? of rhe bottles it is admitted had contained stout: (6) that any person in the room could see this, but could not see the bottles on tee shelves unless they were close to the slide, and would probably have to : -::t: for ward to see them; (7) .i non-board i was standing close to the slitle_ when tin? police entered. "In my opinion/' said the .Magistrate, •■'the contents of the bar w; re exposed, and the evidence sati.-li-s me drink could be obtained if asked for. The ciri umstance.s in this case are strong that liquor couid be obtained—a number of men in the pantry it: darkness, the slid* ..pen and the lair lit up, and liquor on lite counter in full view, the Midden shutting of the slide when the police arrived, and the unusual position of the slide—it might b< termed a secret slide Fight men don't stand in a dark and small pantry with a slide open to the bar unless they are there for a purpose, and that purpose to any reasonable person must be to obtain liquor. Four of those men were not boarders, and ,;>ree men had just left rlta back way." The Magistrate found d< u ndanl . til ■■ and lined him £lO and eo-ds 7s. al-o ordering th! license to be endorsed. The case for (lie police was conducted by :-';;!.-Insocctor Mackinuon. and .Mr J. J. McGrath (pi Wellington) appeart d for tin defendant.