SLY GROG IN CITY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22540, 3 October 1936, Page 16

SLY GROG IN CITY

POLICE RAID CAFE ' LIQUOR IN LIFT WELL ILLEGAL SALES ADMITTED COURT IMPOSES £IOO FINE "This place is a menace to the city; it has caused endless trouble through young men and women going there,' said Sub-Inspector D. Scott, when the proprietress of the Persian Garden Cafe, Swanson Street, her husband and an employee were charged in the Police Court yesterday with eight breaches of the licensing laws. The accused. Boy MacGregor, bis "wife, Dal win MacGregor, and Milton Curry, were represented by Mr. Schramm, who entered a plea of not guilty at first. Each was charged with selling liquor without a licence, and the, MacGrcgors also with being employers of Curry. Sergeant Brown, in evidence, described how ho visted the restaurant ■with a friend on the night of August 24. After supper, he said, they entered into conversation with MacGregor and were taken into a back room, where they bought four pint bottles of beer at Is each. They returned later in the night and bought beer and gin. Witness also visited the restaurant on August 23 and 28 and bought beer in the kitchen. There were quite a number of women in the kitchen, but there ■were very few people in the dining room. Search of the Premises Sergeant Bissett said that at 10.35 p.m. on August 28 he executed a search ■warrant on the premises. In the litt well behind the gas stove in the kitchen he found two suitcases containing 42 bottles of beer, and 62 empty bottles ir, cases. There was also a part bottle of gin and a whisky bottle containing dregs. In a room off the kitchen were eight partly filled bottles of beer, and three empty bottles, as well as six glasses, one of which was full. When witness said to MacGregor that hj& thought MacGregor had "given this up," he replied: "A man has to live." Curry said he had been helping Mrs. MacGregor. He had been getting his food, but no wages. When the search was made, most of the people were in the kitchen, and only a few in the dining room. Air. Schramm asked leave to confer "with his clients, and when he returned he amended the pleas to guilty. Comment by Magistrate "I quits appreciate that." sa:d the magistrate, Mr. F. K. Hunt. "If they had gone into the box 1 would have sent them to gaol." Mr. Schramm said that Mrs. MacGregor wrs the proprietress and Curry ■was assisting her. He was working for his food. MacGregor's ease was different. He had two previous convictions for similar offences. He gave up the business 'or some time, but people came and asked him to sell to them. The business was in Mrs MacGregor's name because she borrowed money to go into it. "This place has been going for some considerable time, ant] if my information is ccrrect. it is still going," said Sub-Inspector Scott. He referred to the trouble with yonng men and women patronising it. "And the licensed trade gets the blame," s.iid Mr. Hunt. A fine of £IOO and costs, in default six months' imprisonment, was imposed on MacGregor. Mrs. MacGregor was ■ fined £lO and Curry £2. Two weeks were allowed in which to pay.