LIQUOR AFTER HOURS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21968, 27 November 1934, Page 14

LIQUOR AFTER HOURS

ONEHUNGA HOTEL CASE FINE IMPOSED ON LICENSEE Three alleged breaches of the Licensing Act were denied by Hugh McGahan (Mr. M. J. Rogers), licensee of the Prince Albert Hotel, Onehunga, who appeared before Mr. W. R. McKean, S.M., in the Onehunga Police Court yesterday. He was fined £4, with costs, and two men found on the premises after hours wore each fined £1 with costs. Sergeant S. A. Brown, who prosecuted, stated, that in company with Constable W. A. Rathie he visited the hotel at 6.15 p.m. on October 25 and found the office door locked. On gaining admittance he found two men, John Gavin Pollard, of Ohaupo, and Norman Webb, of Mangere, in the room. Two glasses of beer were on the table and Pollard, who was under the influence of liquor, was trying to hide behind the door. Webb told witness they had come .in by the back door. McGahan sa\d the men were there unknown to him. Counsel for defendant said the latter disclaimed all knowledge of . the men being in the room. The drinks had been supplied without his-consent. Defendant, in evidence, said he had closed the bar at 6 p.m., but the men had informed him they had helped themselves to the beer. He had no idea who supplied it. The Magistrate: Do you expect anyone to believe that? Witness: Yes. In reply to the magistrate, Sergeant Brown said defendant had held the licence for the past eight years and was formerly the owner of the premises, which were now leased, defendant being manager. 1 The magistrate said he was unable to believe McGahan's story. He would bo convicted on the charge of selling liquor after hours, but the other charges of allowing liqiior to be" consumed and of; keeping open after hours would be dismissed. As it was a first conviction 1 he said he would not consider the endorsement of the licence. Pollard and Webb were each fined £1 with costs.