Beer Near Dance Hall Leads to Fines

Northern Advocate, 27 May 1940, Page 7

Beer Near Dance Hall Leads to Fines

Pleading guilty to a charge of being in control cf liquor in the vicinity of a dance hall, Victor Ronald Collinson was fined £3 and costs by the magistrate (Mr Ferner) in the Whangarei Court today.. < Two constables had seen a lady sitting in a car near the Town Hall, where a dance was being held, and after they had passed, she had left hurriedly, said Senior-Sergeant A. Henderson. ' Locking into the car the constables had seen a large package, from which the necks of beer bottles protruded. When Collinson had come to the car, the constables had found six large and nine small bottles of beer and a bottle partly filled with wine. Collinson had explained that he had given another man a lift into the town and had consented to him leaving the liquor in the car. He had been told that the liquor was for a party to be held later at Kiripaka and had made it a condition that it was not to be touched at the dance. No charge had been brought against the other man as lie was now in camp. Mr R. K. Trimmer said that Collinson had had none of the liquor, and if he had not known the other man had left liquor in the car he would not have been charged. Collinson was also fined 10/- and costs for failing to have a warrant of fitness. Another Man Fined For being in possession of liquor in the vicinity of .a dance hall, Keith Austin Knight was also fined £3 and costs. Two constables had seen beer bottles being thrown from a car, but before they could reach it, it had been driven away, said Senior-Sergeant Henderson. Later the car had returned and when Knight had left the hall to visit it, he had been approached by the police. Nothing could be said regarding the charge, said Mr Trimmer, who appeared for Knight.