MAORIS AND DRINK.

Northern Advocate, 22 June 1920, Page 2

MAORIS AND DRINK.

TWO MORE CASES.

At the Magistrate's Court this morning before Mr 1 ,, . H. Levicu, S.M., Ivake Akaruiia was t'liai'geJ with a breach of his prohibition orde , .', on the 7th June. Constable Clark said that, on the date in question he was called to tthe King's billiard room, and on going there hs found defendant, who was acting in a rowdy manner. Hβ took him outside and noticed that he .sinoii of drink. Defendant admitted having hai some beer.

CioSiS-oxainincd by Mr Edmunds, the constable stated that he did not see '' Kake'' drink any liquoil He would not pay what iiquor it was, but Kake's breath smelt strongly. 'Ihe complaint had not been from the proprietor, but from Mrs Troy. The Maori was playing snooker when the constable appeared on the scene.

Kake, in the witness box, stated that he hud had no liquoil that day, and denied having admitted 1o Constable Clark that he had had any beer. There was nothing to make trouble over in th& billiard room; only a dispute about some money, and that hari been settled by Mr Troy.

Cross-examined by Senior-Sergt. Hoilie, defendant declared that he had not, to his knowledge, been on licensed premises. The senion-sergt. thereupon read out a list of convictions for being on licensed premises, to which witness faltered an admission that it might be so, but thought the question had referred to the present case. He did not know that a constable had been called to the billiard rooni.< The constable asked him to go. outside, and had said, "You're drunk," frit witness replied, "No, I'm not." Tim Troy was called, but did not appear. Mr Edmunds submitted that a smell of liquoM might arise from defendant's clothes, and it was not in itself proof that defendant had had liquor.

The Magistrate said he must accept the constable's evidence, which he was satisfied was corroborated by the witness admitting that he could get driak if he wanted to do so.

Another conviction was added to the list attached to the recoid of the defendant, who was fined £1 amd 12s coats, 14 days being allowed for payment. The Magistrate stated that offences of this character concerning natives and liquor would be dealt severely from, to-day on. NUMBER TWO. Paul Mahunga did not pppear to answer a charge of procuring liquor on May 12 for an aboriginal nature contrary to the Act. Constable Power had seea the Maori opposite the Lyceum, in Cameron stifeet, on the date named, and there had then been a bottle in his pockek The constable took Mm to the police statiao, mid there found another bottle, a flask of whisky. The Maori was convicted aad fined £10 and costs 12s, with six weeks in which to pay, as he was a married man with a large family.