LIQUOR AFTER HOURS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22166, 20 July 1935, Page 18

LIQUOR AFTER HOURS

LICENSEE FINED £2O ANOTHER CHARGE DISMISSED COMMENT BY MAGISTRATE, Two charges of selling liquor after hours were denied by the licensee of the Albion Hotel, Joseph Patrick Hall (Mr. Dickson), in the Magistrate's Court, heforo Mr. W, I?. McKean, S.M., yesterday. The charges related to the same day, Sunday, June 16. Sergeant Doel said that in the morning he saw a man enter the hotel and leave later with four bottles of beer. > The licensee admitted giving the man i the beer, but stated it> had been pur- j chased on the day before to be called j for on the Sunday. The man who received the beer stated I ho had purchased five gallons on the j Saturday to celebrate the anniversary of j his wedding. He also purchased the | bottled beer, but, on second thoughts, i he left it at the hotel overnight. "Although I may have doubt as to ; the truth of the evidence of the last : witness, I must dismiss the charee," I said the magistrate. " It makes it extremely easy for hotelkeepers to set up this defence and it is not always possible to tell whether or not the truth I is being told." The charge of selling liquor and an alternative charge of j being open for tho sale of liquor after j hours were dismissed. Constable Peaclio.v said he saw a man receive a bottle of beer at the door of the Albion Hotel at 4.40 in the afternoon. The man who received the beer stated he was not much yood at talking. Ho ! said he was the man who received the i beer and added that ho had no more J to say.

" The police find this licensee a persistent after-hour trader," said SubInspeetor Fox. The prosecution of hotelkeepers by j the police in Auckland is almost a public scandal." said Mr. Dickson. " You would almost think the police were i working for tho prohibition party in j this city."

"If there are mitigating circumstances in these licensing prosecutions, the police always mention them," remarked the magistrate. " This i s the second offence by this licensee in 12 months and I do not know that I should not endorse his licence. The licensee apparently has not been a careful man, but as he has been in the hotel for a considerable period I will not endorse his licence." Defendant was fined £2O, with costs, 13s.