“Heavier Fines If Dance Drinking Not Stopped"—S.M.

Northern Advocate, 12 February 1940, Page 6

“Heavier Fines If Dance Drinking Not Stopped"—S.M.

Dealing with the first prosecutions taken locally under the new drinking at dances legislation, Mr Raymond Ferner, S.M., indicated that fines would be Increased if the object was not attained. Responding to much public uneasiness, the Legislature recently parsed an enactment to put down "this evil,

he said. Now possession of liquor at or in the vicinity of dance halls was an offence. It was the duty of the police to watch the position and bring offenders ! before the court. The police could rely upon the firm support of the coui;t. Six Charged. Oscar John Olsen (Mr S. C. Thornel and Michael Morresey were charged with having been in possession of intoxicating liquor, and Silverton William'Waro Belton; Lewis Davies and Cyril Martin with having been in control of liquor. Senior-Sergeant C. Harley said that on December 23 a dance in aid of patriotic funds was held in the Town Hall. A complaint was received from elderly people in Hunt Street that a party around a car in front of their residence were consuming beer and I making a noise. Shining his torch into a slatey coloured car parked in Hunt Street, Constable Davis said, he saw four large’ beer bottles partly concealed in the hood. Shortly after 10 p.m. eight people approached. Belton and Martin, with two young ladies, entered the car. In Act of Drinking. Constable Davis heard the top of a bottle lifted and other recently emptied bottles were found on the roadway nearby. Morresey was in the apt of drinking, and all four men admitted having taken beer from the bottle. McKenzie, who was in uniform and who had since gone overseas, said he would take the full responsibility of inviting the rest of the party down for a spot. Neither Martin nor Belton had partaken of liquor, but admitted having purchased two bottles of beer at Hikurangi. The car was parked eight chains from the Town Hall. Fined £3, With Costs. For Olsen, Mr Thorne said that in accepting the invitation of McKenzie, whom he had met at the dance, to have a spot, Olsen did not realise he was breaking the law. The cases being the first to come forward under the new legislation at Whangarei, the magistrate inflicted a fine of £3 and costs, in accordance with the procedure adopted elsewhere.