35 Licensing Breaches in Hokianga

Northern Advocate, 21 April 1939, Page 3

35 Licensing Breaches in Hokianga

[Special to “Northern Advocate ”] RAWENE, This Day.

Thirty-five charges of breaches of the Licensing Act were heard at the Raweno Court before Mr G. N. Morris, S.M., on Wednesday. A number of the charges were in regard to the supplying of liquor to natives, and the magistrate spoke very strongly against this practice, which was becoming too prevalent in districts removed from the direct supervision of the police. In the case of G. A. Avey, licensee of the Hcreke Hotel, who appeared on charges of opening licensed premises, exposing liquor for sale and selling on February 10, and March 25, a fine of £7 10/- was inflicted on each of two charges of selling liquor, while the other charges were withdrawn. On three charges of selling liquor to natives he was fined £5 in each case. The magistrate took a serious view of these charges and stated that, owing to the previous good record of the licensee, no endorsements of his license would be made in this case, but if he were to appear before the court again on similar charges, his license would be cancelled.

Six persons found at the Horeke Hotel after hours were each fined 30/-. Opononi Charges.

Skip Fraser, licensee of the Opononi Hotel, was charged with opening licensed premises after hours on March 8. thereby exposing and selling liquor, and was fined £5 for selling liquoi’, the other charges being withdrawn.

A native found in possession of liquor, was fined £3, and of 14 people found on the premises on March 8, 13 were convicted and ordered to pay fines of 30/-. One case was dismissed.

Additional Cases.,

Herbert Baker, of Ahipara. for taking liquor into a Maori pa, was convicted and fined £3.

Steve Urlich, wine-maker, of Herekino, was fined £2 10/- for not having wine bottles which he sold properly labelled. For introducing wine into a Maori kainga at Maungamuka, Horn' Hetaraka, of Maungamuka, was convicted and ordered to pay a fine of £5.

Amateur Taxi-Driver.

A £3 fine was imposed upon George Leslie Gray, farmer# of Tutekehua, for operating an unlicensed taxi. Accused was in the habit of conveying parties round the district where he lived, and he usually accepted benzine in repayment, though some trips were paid for. The charges were admitted.