CRICKET DINNER

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24303, 18 June 1942, Page 4

CRICKET DINNER

PRINK WITH LICENSEE POLICE CHARGES FAIL (P.A.) WANGANUI, Wednesday An unusual licensing case was heard in the Magistrate's Court when nine cricketers were charged with being illegally in an hotel after hours. The charges were the sequel to a cricket club end of the season dinner, when the cricketers were found in the licensee's private bar about 8.20 p.m., about K) minutes or a quarter of an hour after the finish of the dinner. No explanation was asked of them at the time, but in Court the evidence was that the group, consisting mostly of executive members of the club, who wore waiting to go on together to another gathering beginning at 8.30 p.m. (nearly all the others attending the dinner having by this time left the premises), was invited by the licensee to have a farewell drink with him when the treasurer went and settled up for the dinner. The explanation that the men were invited to have a farewell drink with him was given by the licensee, who was in the bar at the time. No money changed hands, and actually no liquor had been consumed when the police arrived, although some drinks had been poured. Mr. J. H. Salmon, S.M., said a licensee could supply liquor at any time to any person, other than a prohibited person, provided the transaction was not a sale. For the life of him he could not see why their explanation should not be accepted, although the circumstances may have looked suspicious to the police. He dismissed charges against the licensee of selling and exposing liquor for sale and keeping open for sale. After the charge against one cricketer of being illegally on the premises had also been dismissed, the police withdrew the remainder of the charges.

USE OF ARMY CARS PUNISHMENT FOR ABUSE (Special Australian Correspondent) (Rerrl. 1'2.50 a.m.) SYDNEY, June 17 With petrol and rubber conservation urgently needed, the Australian Government is inquiring into alleged excessive use of cars by Army officers. It is probable that the British method of dealing by court-martial with officers and men using cars without authority will he adopted. The Minister for Air, Mr. A. S. Drakeford, states that several Royal Australian Air Force offenders have already been court-martial led for using petrol illegally, with the result that petrol pilfering has been reduced to a low level.

FARM SALE DISPUTE The . evidence for the plaintiffs was completed before Mr. Justice Callan yesterday in the case in which the purchasers of a dairy farm at Woodhill sought the refund of moneys paid and damages from the vendor. The plaintiffs are Thomas Henry Thompson and Mrs. Edna Taylor (Mr. V. R. Meredith and Mr. Mackav), and the defendant Thomas Edward Boss (Mr. North). The farm was sold for £IOOO, and the phi in tiffs sought rescission of the contract of sale and sums totalling £859, alleging thai the farm had been falsely represented to them as free from flooding. The defendant, counter-claimed for €lB2, and alleged that the plaintiffs wished to escape the contract because of financial difficulties. The hearing will bo continued to-day.