MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Northern Advocate, 20 December 1919, Page 2

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

KAIKOHE, TUESDAY

(Before Mr Levien, S.M.)

Walter Breach was charged with selling liquor while unlicensed, and supplying liquor to a native for consumption off licensed premises. Sen.-Sergeant Cassells appeared for the police and Mr Guy for the defe7idant.

The Sen.-Sergt., in outlining the facts, stated that defendant lived in a two-roomed whare familiarly known as the "Northern Club," in Kaikohe, and a reputed sly.grog shop. At 10 p.m. on the night of the election when the hotels were closed from noon Constable Lambert arrested a native for drunkenness, and when asked where he obtained his liquor he stated that he bought a bottle of whisky for 14/ from he proprietor of "The Northern Club." At noon yesterday Sen.-Sergt. Cassells and Constable Lambert ( armed with a search warrant, raided the "club"and found a nice little bar therein, shelves, empty bottles galore, a full 3-gallon keg of beer on the counter, 2 "handles" for' drinking purposes, a bottle of whisky, and numerous empty |bottles < all of which were taken possession of by the police and I "the bar" was produced in Court.

After hearing evidence Mr Levien convicted the defendant and Sen.Sergt. Cassells asked that the penalty be a substantial one as there had been a considerable amount of drinking amongst the Natives also drunkenness in Kaikohe of late and for which the publicans usually got the blame, and also that defendant had been in April last fined £10 for a similar offence.

Mr Levien fined defendant £30 and costs, and an application by his solicitor for time to pay was refused by the magistrate who stated that when first convicted he warned him as to his future conduct. SUPPLYING A NATIVE Joe Perisich was convicted and fined for supplying liquor to one Tote Pera, a Native, for consumption off licensed premises, and Tote Pera was also convicted and fined for counselling Perisich in the commission bf the said offence.

The Sen. Sergt. said that the defendant Perisich who was employed in a restaurant kept by another Dalmatian named Jerkovich, was seen close on midnight by Const. Lambert to supply a bottle of Ibeer to a native named Pera. The consable entered the restaurant and took the beer from the Native, who was concealed behind a curtain. Both defendants on oath denied the charge. After hearing the evidence of Constable Lambert and a severe examination of both defendants by the Sen. Sergt., the S.M. stated that he did not believe the evidence of the defendants, but believed the evidence of Constable Lambert, and fined both defendants £10 each and costs.