LICENSING PROSECUTIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13285, 18 September 1906, Page 6

LICENSING PROSECUTIONS.

SUNDAyr TRADING.

HOTELKEEPER -ND CONSUMER FINE*. .

' John Gillandkb,■ license^ 0 f the Newmarket Hotel, pleaded guilty \> selling liquor on Sunday, September 2. > . Mr. McVeagh, who appear for defendant, stated that on the datt j n question Sergeant Moore and a constable visited the defendant's hotel, and foUid the defendant and two men in the b, r . Each of the men, who wAe residents'>f Newmarket, had a pint of beer in font of him, and Is was found on the bar counter-. Mr. McVeagh also said that th, 'defendant had been in charge of the lot«'l for nine years, and had had only one conviction against him. Mr. Mays, who prosecuted, said thi», two convictions within six months was. very important for the Licensing Committee. Mr. Kettle said the defendant had properly. pleaded guilty to . selling liquor on a Sunday. He (Mr. Kettle) <k>uld not understand why a respectable licensee should run such a risk to make a few shillings. It was unfair to other licensees who tried to comply with the law. Defendant was lined £10 and costs, and his licence was ordered to be endorsed. Samuel Burgess was charged with being found in the Newmarket Hotel on Sunday, September 2, for the purpose of getting drink. The Magistrate said it was a good thing that the person who tempted the hotelkeepers to sell liquor after hours could be fined. The maximum fine, however, was only £2, and this he thought wholly inadequate. The £2 fine was inflicted. Richard Harris was also fined £2 for a similar, offence. I ALLEGED SERVING OF A DRUNKEN MAN. George Taylor, licensee of the Fitzroy Hotel, pleaded not guilty to selling whisky to a person already in a state of intoxication, and also to permitting drunkenness on licensed premises. Mr. Earl defended. Mr. Mays said the case was a clear one, and a very bad one. The man to whom the liquor was supplied came to Auckland , with a cheque of over £100. The relations of the man were looking for him, and lie was subsequently found in the Fitzroy Hotel. The man was helplessly drunk. It was found that half of his money could not be accounted for. John Joseph Poland, contractor, of Tua-, kau, said he came to Auckland on August 3, and subsequently received a cheque for £115 from the Public Works Department. On August 9 he was at the Fitzroy Hotel, in company with a man named Dalziel. He could not remember what time it was, but thought it was before dark. As far as he could remember, lie had two drinks at the Fitzroy Hotel of either whisky or beer. Although he was not sure, he thought it was Mr. Taylor who served him. He only had a hazy recollection ,of the police coming to the hotel that night. He was convicted of drunkenness and prohibited at the Police Court next morning. To Mr. Earl: He'was sober enough to 'be served with liquor when he entered the hotel. They were in a sideroom, and discussing the land question, football match, and other important matters. He was not staying at any particular hotel, and he might have asked Mr. Taylor for a bed. He had not before visited the Fitzroy Hotel during Mr.* Taylor's time. Mr. Taylor might have refused witness a drink, but he did not recollect it. Liquor had taken effect on witness after coming out into the cold air, after having been .in a warm room. He had been drinking, more or less, from the 3rd to the 9th.

To Mr. Mays: He had no recollection of going from the bar parlour to the bedroom in the basement. Witness < volunteered the statement that he had very little money in his possession when he went into the Fitzroy Hotel. He certainly had no gold at all. "

Mr. Earl thought the statement, was very desirable, as it had appeared to him when the prosecution was opened that they were practically alleging the man had been robbed. Mr. Mays said that he had not intended to suggest that the man had been robbed at that, hotel.

Matthew Poland, brother of the former witness, said that after searching about town for his brother he found him on a bed in the basement of the Fitzroy Hotel. He was under the influence of liquor. »_ The further hearing of the case was then adjourned until Monday next.