KING COUNTRY LIQUOR.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18680, 9 April 1924, Page 11

KING COUNTRY LIQUOR.

SUPPLYING BEER TO MAORI. TWO MEN FINED. [by telegraph.— correspondent.! TE KUTTI. Tuesday Reserved judgment in the case in which John McDonald and James Edward Mitchell were charged with supplying liquor to a native was given by Mr. F. W. Flatts, S.M., at the Magistrate's Court to-day. When the case was heard on March 11 the principal charge was that of introducing liquor into a Maori kainga, and the main point was the meaning of the word, the defence contending that it did not mean a house, but a village or pa. This charge was to-day withdrawn. In delivering judgment on the alternative charge of supplying liquor, the magistrate observed: "The accused took the keg of beet to the residence of the native. They drank from it until they became anite intoxicated. They then left it lere and Ngaronga took possession of it and drank from it until ne became intoxicated. If .their evidence that they did not intend the liquor for Ngamrißa was true, they certainiy took no precautions to see that he did not obtain it. Indeed, their actions were such as to ensure that the native would obtain possession of the liquor, and did obtain it and drank part of it." McDonald -was fined £10 and Mitchell £7 I.os. Thirteen other informations ill connection with the same case were dismissed.