SPIRITS IN SHED

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24555, 10 April 1943, Page 6

SPIRITS IN SHED

DISCOVERY ON FAEM COURT FINES OWNER £IOO Charged with being a person on whose premises certain spirits contained in 100 quart bottles and one five-gallon jar, on which full duty had not been paid, "were found, Thomas Gingles, farmer, of Te Waotu, near Putaruru (Mr. Terry), pleaded guilty before Mr. L<\ H. Levien, S.M., yesterday. The Crown Solicitor, Mr. V. It. Meredith, prosecuted. , . The spirits, which were found in a shed when defendant's property was visited by customs officials and detectives, were analysed and found to be 88.6 per cent alcoholic, said Mr. Mere ditli The spirits were in sacks covered with' grass, indicating that they were ready "for transport. Defendant explained that he made the spirits by fermenting plums, but the spirits were distilled. However, there was no charge of distilling spirits. . There was no evidence ot a still in spite of a search by experienced detectives, said Mr. Terry That supported, to a degree, defendant s suggestion that he had successfully fermented plums. It was amazing that some evidence had not been obtained. "The amount of illicit trading in spirits is more or less notorious at present," said Mr. Levien. The conclusion to be drawn from an ordinary farmer having such an amount in his possession was that he was in the business up to his neck. Defendant was fined £IOO and an order was made for the forfeiture of the liquor. Argument was to be submitted concerning the forfeiture of the jar containing five gallons.

SLY GROG SALES WINE AND BRANDY PRISON FOR TWO MEN Charged with selling liquor without a licence at premises at 28 Day Street on April 2, Frederick William Broadhurst (Mr. Meek) appeared before Mr. J. H. Luxford, S.M., yesterday. The charge was denied. A serviceman said he bought two bottles of wine from accused, paying 18s a bottle. He was accompanied by a friend. Sergeant Adams said he found 20 bottles of wine and two of beer on the premises. Accused said he had bought it for a party. Witness also questioned accused about the finding of seven dozen bottles of beer and two halfgallons of wine in a garage rented by accused farther up the street. Accused denied ownership of that. Constable Keogan said he was in accused's house when two men arrived wanting to buy liquor. They said they had bought it there before, but they left when informed of witness' identity. Accused in evidence said he bought the liquor at 12s 6d a bottle and did not make any sale. He knew who owned the liquor in the garage, but did not wish to say whose it was. He had one bottle of wine in his car. "I disbelieve the evidence of the accused," the magistrate said. "It is quite clear he deliberately told a story to the Court .knowing it was untrue." Accused was sent to gaol for a month. A similar charge was admitted by Reno Massetti, hotel porter, aged 24 (Mr. Wallace). Sub-Inspector Joyce said that as a result of complaints two servicemen went to the Station Hotel and bought a bottle of brandy from accused for £4. The licensee knew nothing of the circumstances. Counsel said that accused was pressed by the servicemen, and the temptation, when he was unfortunate enough to be able to get liquor from a relative, was too great. Accused was sentenced to a month in gaol. LIQUOR FOR SERVICEMEN LICENSEE FINED £ls (0.C.) HAMILTON, Friday The licensee of the Waikato Hotel, George Rundle, who appeared before Mr. W. H. Freeman. S.M., in Hamilton to-day, admitted charges of soiling liquor after hours, and of selling liquor to servicemen for consumption off the premises. Counsel for defendant, Mr. Johnson, said the two soldiers served by Rundle were on final leave, and persuaded him to oblige them with liquor for a farewell party. Defendant made no gain out of the transaction. The magistrate imposed a fine of £lO on the first count and £5 on the second. FIRST BOMBING RAID JAPANESE BASE ATTACKED N.Z. PACIFIC SQUADRON New Zealand airmen at a South Pacific base recently made their first bombing raid on a Japanese base. The men are normally engaged on reconnaissance operations and previously worked in conjunction with American bomber and dive-bomber squadrons, but the unit has already destroyed at least one enemy machine. Glowing tributes to the work of the New Zealand squadron have been paid by the Americans, who have been impressed by the efficiency of the crews and the accuracy of their navigation. As a result of the New Zealanders' reconnaissances many Japanese ships have been located and later sent to the bottom by American attack bombers, sometimes with the result that an enemy operation has been completely defeated. The country behind the airfields is unfriendly to fliers, rising to rugged peaks, with deep jungle-filled ravines. The climate is not pleasant, being hot and humid, but scientific measures have been taken to make life more comfortable and the fighting spirit of the men stationed there is high. INJURED IN COLLISION TWO YOUTHS ON BICYCLE Two youths were injured in a collision between the bicycle they were both riding and a military vehicle at the intersection of Victoria Street West and Welles lev Street West, at 5.45 p.m. yesterday. They were Alexander Ellis, aged 17. a fruit preserver, son of Mrs. Jessie Elizabeth Ellis, of 21 Sale Street, Freeman's Bay, who suffered head injuries and concussion, and Desmond Malcolm Smith, aged 15, a labourer, son of Mrs. Millie Smith, of 176 Victoria Street, Freeman's Bay, who suffered fractures to the right arm and the nose. The lads were riding the bicycle down Victoria Street West. The fender of the military vehicle was crumpled, and the bicycle was wrecked. The youths were taken to the Auckland Hospital. LACERATIONS TO ARM An apprentice saw-doctor, Mr. John Larsen, of Kumeu. received severe lacerations to the left arm at work yesterday, when a guillotine knife struck his arm. He was admitted to the Auckland Hospital, and his condition last night was serious. FALL FROM TIMBER STACK An employee of the Fletcher Construction Company, Mr. Ivan Tolj, aged 66, single, of 24' Davis Terrace, Newmarket, suffered injuries to the back when he fell from a stack of timber at work yesterday. He was admitted to the Auckland Hospital and his condition last night was serious. KNOCKED DOWN BY CAR (0.C.) WHANGAREI, Friday Knocked down by a motor-car at the intersection of Water Street and Bank Street this morninc. an elderly woman, Mrs. Annie Jane Child, of Poto Avenue, Whangarei, suffered concussion and scalp injuries. The car was driven by Mr. Peter Batistich, of Kaitaia.