BEER DREGS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 82, Issue 25214, 29 May 1945, Page 7

BEER DREGS

MOKE ALLEGATIONS DENIALS BY LICENSEES Further allegations of the resale of beer dregs by certain hotels in Auckland were made in evidence given by two former barmen before the Royal Commission on licensing , yesterday. The licensees and several barmen of the two hotels gave evidence denying the use of dregs. Spencer R. Ellis said ho had worked as a barman in three Auckland hotels. He had no complaints about two of them.

While he was working for about three weeks at the Carlton Club Hotel, Newmarket, during 1942, the slops were gathered from drip trays and glasses after closing time every night and poured back into n barrel for resale. •'The first night I was there I was taking used glasses and pouring the dregs down the sink when the head barman told me to put them into the bucket for putting back into the barrel," said witness. "The barrel so used was then turned up on end and it was known by the barmen as 'Wompo.' The orders to the barmen were to serve this first. The custom was to fortify the dregs with good beer." Evidence in Rebuttal Witness said he could not say if the dregs were used on the licensee's instructions. There was an average of from six to eight gallons of dregs put back every night. On a Saturday night he had seen 18 gallons put back. To Mr 11. F. O'Leary, K.C., for the N.Z. Licensed Trade, witness said the head barman had not actually given him the instructions, but through the other barmen. He admitted he had been convicted in December, 1940. on charges of selling liquor without a licence. "That was not sly-grogging, but a house party," said witness.

Ernest C. Foote, licensee of the Carlton Club Hotel, said there was no truth in the allegations. Ellis had been, on tlu> recommendation of the acting-head barman, dismissed for inefficiency. Witness had never received any complaints about his beer. He had never heard the term 'Wompo' used in the trade until today. Four barmen from Foote's hotel :ilso gave evidence in rebuttal. « Case of Another Hotel Robert Dunne, now serving in the armed forces, said he was a barman in the Edinburgh Castle Hotel for about >ix months in 1941. He confirmed all the allegations of selling dregs which had been made by a witness, Manderson, against this hotel at a previous sitting. The collecting and putting dregs back for sale had been done every night he was on duty. He had once been reprimanded by one of the barmen for throwing out slops. The licensee was often present when the slops were put back. To Mr O'Leary, witness said he had been influenced to volunteer evidence on reading" the chairman's statement that it was a duty of every citizen to assist. Tn reply to Mr Coyle, he said he was informed when working at the hotel that the proprietors of the hotel knew of the practices. George M. Read, licensee of the Edinburgh Castle Hotel, said there was no truth in the allegations. This was the second time charges against his hotel had been made before the Commission. "I am beginning to sense some farm of victimisation against me and it is not fair." said witness.

Five barmen at the last witness' hotel in 1941 denied that drees had ever been put back for resale by them.

FIRE UNDER HOTEL EPISODE AT WAIUKU LABOURER FOR SENTENCE A charge of wilfully setting -fire to pa,pers and timber at Waiuku on March 19, knowing that the Kentish Hotel was likely to catch fire, was admitted by Reginald James McKegney, aged -14, labourer, who appeared before Messrs C. Robinson and A. L. Gee, •J.P.'s, yesterday. A charge of attempting to set fire to the hotel was withdrawn at* the request of DetectiveSergeant Aplin, who prosecuted.

In a statement made to the police, accused said that he had been refused drinks at the hotel by the barman because of some threatening remarks he had made to the barman earlier in the day. He decided to light a fire underneath the hotel with the intention of getting his own bark on the barman for refusing to serve him. Evidence was given by the licensee. Royal Alexander Turner,"that he found a prepared fire burning about three feet under the north-west portion of the hotel. He had used about four or five buckets of water in extinguishing tne fire when the brigade arrived in response to a call. Accused was committed to the Supreme Court for sentence.

CLAEVI FOR DAMAGES STREET ACCIDENT CONTENTIONS BY DEFENCE Arising out of a street accident in December, 1943, a claim for damages was brought before Mr Justice Fair and a jurv yesterday. The plaintiff was Esmond Edward Rodbourne Luttrell, a carpenter (Mr Henry and Mr Sirnson), who claimed from Transport, Ltd. (Mr North and Mr Westbrook), £524 special and £ISOO general damages for injuries lie received. The special damages included £504 for loss of wages. The accident happened in Shortland Street early in the evening of December 10. 1943. when a bus of the defendant company's being driven up the street came into collision with the plaintiff.

The plaintiff claimed that he had been run down owing to the negligence of the defendant's driver in failing, to keep a proper lookout, in approaching the Shorthand Club on the wrong side of the street and in other respects. He claimed he had suffered severe contusions and rupture of the ligaments of the left leg. His weekly earnings had heen not less than £B. The defence denied that there had heen any negligence on the part of the bus driver and alleged that the accident had been brought about by the plaintiff's own contributory negligence. The hearing will be continued today