LONDON NIGHT CLUB.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVIII, Issue 185, 5 July 1928, Page 10

LONDON NIGHT CLUB.

NOTORIOUS PROPRIETRESS. SIX MONTHS’ IMPRISONMENT. LONDON, June 26. That Mrs Kate Merrick, the notorious “Night Club Queen,” had used her son-in-law, the Earl of Kinnoull, to circumvent the law was the suggestion made at her trial. Six months’ imprisonment w'as inflicted upon Mrs Merrick for selling liquor without a license at a night club,in Garrick Street. . Inspector Muskett, who prosecuted, said that defendant was the most inveterate of all breakers of the liquor laws. He enumerated many convictions since 1920, including fines of £250 and £3OO, twice, and also a sentence of six months in prison. Inspector Muskett submitted that fines were useless when imprisonment was .apparently ineffective. The existing law was absolutely futile, he said. The police raided the club on May 24 and a new club was opened in June 1 'in the same building, ostensibly by defendant’s son-in-law. This could not be prevented by the present law. AVhen the place was raided it was crowded with people, who were drinking champagne freely until 5.30 a.m. Officers during the morning, at Mrs Merrick’s suggestion, visited the night club of her daughter-in-law, Mrs Irene Merrick. It was later raided and struck off the register. The Metropolitan Police Commissioner’s report for 1927 says that breaches of the liquor law relating to clubs continue to be most troublesome. Forty-three clubs were struck off the register, but they were speedily replaced. A feature of the night club business was. the increasing number of alien proprietors and managers. Allnight cafes were also increasing. Many were rendezvous for undesirable characters, men and women. The Earl of Kinnoull married Miss May Merrick on the 7th June.