LIQUOR ON RIVER BOAT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21278, 3 September 1932, Page 10

LIQUOR ON RIVER BOAT

ILLEGAL SALES ALLEGED ACCOUNT OF CONSTABLE MAGISTRATE RESERVES DECISION [nY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WANGANUI, Eriday The hearing of charges under the Licensing Act against Wanganui River Services, Limited, and its servant, John Campbell, a steward, was concluded in the Magistrate's Court to-day, decisions being reserved.

Thero were 22 counts in all, and pleas of guilty were entered in respect to five, three of which were against tho company and related to the steamer on the upper stretch of the river, and for .which thero was no licence to sell liquor at all. Ono of tho charges was withdrawn, leaving 16 charges defended, half of theso being against tho company and half against Campbell. The point was raised by the company that its servant Campbell had been instructed to comply with tho Act, and that if unlawful sales did occur, the company was not liable. Campbell's defence was a denial of sales alleged by the prosecution.

Concerning- a charge that Campbell supplied liquor to persons unknown while the vessel was not on her passage. Constable R. 'J. Chayter, who made the trip up ths river under the guise of a prospective settler, said that after the river steamer had got to Pipiriki, lio returned to the vessel at 8.10 p.m. and found several Maoris in the saloon drinking beer. Defendant was serving at the bar and witness had a drink of beer. Ho sat in tho saloon and drank it and called for another. In tho meantime, seven Maoris wero served. Two were members of the crew. Asked by counsel for the defence when he joined the force, witness replied that he joined on April 1, 1932. Counsel: Just 15 days before your trip. Witness admitted that he was quite inexperienced for the job of collecting evidence, but was told by Sergeant Sivyer what he had to do. Regarding a charge that liquor was sold at Pipiriki at 6.10 p.m., the defence was raised that the boat at that time had not been tied up and, therefore, was still on her voyage. The magistrate, Mr. J. H. Salmon, intimated that ho would take time to give his decision.