LIQUOR AT PA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22983, 10 March 1938, Page 20

LIQUOR AT PA

CONSTABLE VISITS DANCE FINES IMPOSED ON MAORIS [BY TELEGRAPH —OWN CORRESPONDENT] ( WHAKATAXE, Wednesday A statement that old Maoris of the tribe had asked him to visit a dance at the Kokohinau Pa, which followed! the Te Teko sports, was made by Con-! stable T. Cummings, when prosecuting) in a number of cases concerning the supply of liquor to Maoris and the in- ; troduction of liquor to a pa- Three | .Maoris, H. Renati, Tom Kingi and Bill Hona were charged with introducing! liquor to the pa. Constable Cummings said he was at 1 the sports at Te Teko on January 29 and some of the old Maoris asked him to visit the dance in the evening, as there was a lot of drinking going on. He arrived at midnight and saw accused sitting on the running-board of a motor-car drinking beer. Under the running-board he found a half-bottle of whisky. Roneti said they had found the beer in the grass and all denied ownership of the whisky. The men were each fined £l. with costs. Another Maori, l'ai Warbrick, was charged with supplying liquor for consumption off licensed premises. Constable Ctiininings said ho found three men drinking beer from a billy. AVarbrick's story was that ho had found the billy and had not purchased the liquor. The magistrate. Mr. E. L. Walton, said he had no doubt as to the facts, but the Act did not provide punishment for receiving the beer unless the persons were prohibited, and the Court should bo careful how it extended the scope of the law. Ho convicted and discharged Warbrick. -• Robert Dundcrdale. proprietor, and Robert Basket, barman, of the Te j Teko Hotel, admitted supplying i liquor to a Maori and the sale of liquor | during prohibited hours. Dundcrdale j was fined £1 and costs, and Basket £2 ! and costs on the first charge.