INFORMATIONS DISMISSED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16215, 28 April 1916, Page 7

INFORMATIONS DISMISSED.

ALLEGED ILLEGAL SUPPLY.

INTOXICATED MAN IN HOTEL

A HCENSIsr; case was heard before Mr. F. V. Fraier, S.M., in the Police Court yesterday, vhen David Collins, licensee of the Royal Hotel, and Samuel Wilson Lambton, human at the same hotel, for whom Mr. J. R. Reed, K.C., appeared, were charged with supplying Martin Dolan with liquor while in a state of intoxication.

At the outset, Sub-Inspector Mcllveney said ho had known Mr. Collins for &$ years, and he had always 'found him to bo a man of high character. .Mr. Collins had always managed his hotels in an exemplary manner. He was a distinct acquisition to the licensed trade.

Mr, Reed read a • voluntary testimony given by Mr. H. W. Bishop, K.M., o 'l Christ-church, in which Mr. Collins was complimented on tho way ho had managed the Clarendon Hotel, of that at v.

Evidence was given by Sergeant Lander and Constable Parrel I that on the evening of March 18 they noticed a number of drunken sailors enter the Royal Hotel. They followed them later, and 'saw one of them served with liquor. The man was shortly afterwards arrested lor drunkenness.

, Counsel fur defendant submitted that. Dolan and others entered the hotel and called tor liquor. Dolan in no way looked like a drunken man. Ho was served with a glass of beer, and immediately afterwards showed signs of being under the influence of alcohol. He asked for more liquor, but was refused, and was told to leave the house. Tho man returned later in a state of hopeless drunkenness, and was again refused liquor. It was then tho police camo into the bar. Evidence was given by the two defendants that strict injunctions with rcgiu'd to the serving of drunken m«n wero observed in the hotel. The man in question would not have been .served ill the first pla,ce had it been suspected that ho was under the influence of liquor. A barman named Symes said he saw Dolan in tho bar of the hotel. As far as tho witness knew the man had been (hero only a few minutes, and had not been served with liquor.

The magistrate said it whs dear that the police did not enter the hotel until some time after they paw the sailors go into the liar. In the interim the man Dolan might have got liquor at, any of the other hotels in the vicinity. The glass of beer Lambton had served him with was probably the last drop which changed his condition from a state of sobriety to that of drunkenness. There was no evidence to convict either of the defendants. He was glad to know Mr. Collins had a good reputation. He hoped it would continue. The informations were dismissed.