SLY GROG CASES

New Zealand Herald, Volume 80, Issue 24758, 4 December 1943, Page 6

SLY GROG CASES

OFFENDERS IMPRISONED SALES TO SERVICEMEN A charge of selling liquor without a licence was admitted yesterday by Leo Patrick Healey, aged 31, labourer, when he appeared before Mr. J. H, Luxford, S.M. Sub-Inspector Harley stated that a constable on duty in Hobson Street on Thursday evening overheard a conversation between accused and two servicemen. They went into a disused shop and came * out with three bottles* of wine. Accused later admitted selling the wine to the servicemen at 15s a bottle. A visit to accused's room revealed '2l large bottles of wine and two bottles of beer. He told the police that ; tie had had to resort to selling sly grog because an injury had prevented him from working. Accused was sentenced to one month's imprisonment with hard labour. On a similar charge, Albert Cecil Brown (Mr. Fitzherbert), aged- 42, salesman, pleaded guilty. Sub-Inspector Harley stated 1 that on the night of November 25 accused was approached by two American servicemen, one of whom said he would like some liquor. Accused said he could get him a bottle of gin, but it would cost him £6. Two constables saw him. go to a parcels depot and come out with a bottle of gin, which he sold to the serviceman. Mr. Fitzherbert said that it was' not the usual case of sly grog-selling. Accused had bought the liquor during the day for a party that night and had left it in a parcels office while he waited for a friend whom he was to accompanv to the party. His friend did not arrive, and when approached by the servicemen he- decided to let them have the gin. There were no mitigating circumstances, stated the magistrate, in sentencing accused to one month's imprisonment with hard labour. LOCAL AND GENERAL American Money In Collection Over £lO in American money was found in the collection boxes for the Auckland Returned Sen-ices Associa-• tion Rose Day yesterday. There were 10, five' and one dollar notes, half-dol-lars, quarters, dimes, nickels and cents. Two Fiji sixpences and two French franc notes also were found when the boxes were opened. Middle East Paintings The exhibition of war paintings by Captain Peter Mclntyre was viewed by 6-31 visitors to the Art Gallery yesterday, bringing the total to 2081 since the exhibition opened on Tuesday afternoon. The sum of £ls was received yesterday in donations and from catalogue sales. This makes a total of £52 taken in the four days. Manpower Committee Difficulty in obtaining the services of ah employers' representative for a sitting of the Auckland Manpower (In- . dustrial) Committee was experienced yesterday. The start of the sitting was delayed and eventually the deputy-rep-resentative for the workers, Mr. J. McInarnev, was called on to deputise for Mr. N. E. Crimp, the employers' representative. Yesterday's committee was Mr. H. Campbell, chairman, Mr. K. M. Simpson and Mr. J. Mclnarney. Sharks in the Gull Mako sharks, usually rare visitors to the waters of Hauraki Gulf, as well as ground sharks, have been reported in considerable numbers off Rakino Island. One resident of the island, fishing from a 12ft dinghy, hooked a 15ft. mako shark recently, but after 20 minutes' play it broke his line. Other I fish, mostly schnapper, _ are plentiful in these waters, and it is thought that the reason may be that grounds in the inner parts of the gulf have been closed to fishing for the last four years. Even cod and crayfish, previously quite unknown about Rakino, are now numerous. • Educated Youths "In spite of the acute shortage of labour, 1 do not think the situation is so bad that we should turn young men with educational qualifications into permanent labourers, said the manpower officer's representative, Mr. W. A. Leggett, at a sitting of the Auckland Manpower (Industrial) Committee yesterday. The appellant before the committee was a clerk who had been directed to a labouring job. He. that he had attended the Auckland University College for some months before his entry to.the Army and had worked in a trust office. Mr. Lcggett said further investigations would be made in the case. Beach Wire Removed The last sections of the barbed-wire entanglements which have been on Takapuna Beach for almost 18 months were removed yesterday. A gang of men from the Works Department, assisted by Army engineers, has been on. the job for the last two or three weeks and the beach has regained its pre-war appearance at a time when the pohutakawas along its whole length are breaking into bloom. Clearing operations have been in progress at Narrow Neck for some days and the beach should be totally cleared shortly. Similar work will commence at Brown's Bay on Mondav, after which other east coast beaches will be cleared in order of their considered priority. Night Medical Service The great difficulty that had been experienced in keeping the emergency, night medical service going since the Hospital Board withdrew its support at the end of October was referred to by the president of the Auckland branch of the British .Medical Association, Dr. E. J. Cronin, at the annual meeting of the branch this week. He said the service was in grave danger of corning to an end at the end of this month unless a new arrangement for its continuance could be made. At present it was being carried on by a returned medical officer from the Middle East, but he was shortly to enter the service of the Hospital Board. The service had worked very well in the past, _ and a meeting of interested practitioners j would be held soon to devise means for • its continuance.