BEER AND BIVALVES.

NZ Truth, Issue 161, 18 July 1908, Page 4

BEER AND BIVALVES.

HENSLEY'S LITTIE HASHERY. Twenty Quid for Supplying Sw^nk. Beer and oysters for a bob is a tariff ; that only a city of. low rents epyld stand. When the beer is sly and sdld fyy an unlicensed person after ten at night, the guzzle is astonishingly cheap. Charles William Hejasle'y keeps (m oyster saloon m Tuaniystreet, Christchurch, ana sells the Bluff native at 6d ,per plate, with something to wash the blow-ou^ down for' an extra tanner. , Henry Howard Gibson is a mere butcher and not . a bank clerk, as his aristocratic name would imply, but no small ." stiU- voicie warned Hensley that the young man would give the show away tp the pplice if his thirst werp ASSUAGED WITH ILLICIT ALE. Sp that when Gibgpn inquired, . with the air of a millionaire ordering a chariipaghe hath, "Any chance oft a drop of lujirica-; tion ?" Hensley said "Yes," and nroduced a glass of beer. It was 10.30 p.pi, on Saturday night, and Gibson squared up with the remark, "Sixpence for the oysters and 6d for the beer." Moreover, he said to Hensley,, "Keep that glass till I come back to-morrow." The saloonkeeper replied that beer would 'be available from 9 ,to 12 a.m., but' not later. In reply to -Lawyer Donnelly, Glibson said he had only two oysters left when he asked for the lubrication, and one of them was a bad one, he added, vindictively. Counsel surmised that this circumstance annoyed Gibson, and that' individual acknowledged, defiantly, . that it didn't make a bloke feel altpge-tber right to put a bad oyster m his mouth arid have to pull it out again. If. you had pot got the bad oyster would you have informed*?— Perhaps., Are you sure ?— Well, I suppose go. '■• Edward Duthie, laborer for the Public.. Works Department, w^s m Hensley's Place on that same night, had beer and oysters 'and paid Is for them. Returned later and purchased a bottle, of oysters for 2s, when he saw Gibson pay for ins gorge with .-.the remark that. 6d' was fpr oysters and' 6s for beer. Sergeant Burrows made ■'-: a raid ' on Hensley's on Sunday morning, when he found a demijohn containing 'beer, a lemonade bottle full of rum, a bottle containing a small quantity of beer, and THREE EMPTY BEER BOTTLES. Hensley remarked at the tinie that tbe liquor was kept for his own use, and that, he was m the habit pf giving it away with oysters to his customers. The Sergeant acknowledged to Mr Donnelly that he had been m the restaurant himself and' bad eaten oysters there. He had even drank a glass of beer when it was offered to him by Hensley. Of course he didn't pay for it. For the defence. Alf Davis, barman at the Excelsior Hotel, testified that Hersley was m the habit of getting fd worth or Is 'worth of swankcy at the week end for his own use. He didn't order any liquor m greater quantities. Thomas Gabites had known Hensley for thirty years, and he had never, known him to sell sly-grog. William Francis Oliver, who used to work for Hensley, ridiculed the, idea that illicit beer Avas disposed of m the shop. Su'n-luspector Dwyer : How often have you been prohibited ?— Three times. Hensley's own evidence was a general denial. It appears he used to-be a pub" keeper, but had never been -uiity of the dreadful offence with which he was charged.- ''I don't kuow heither of them from llndnin," he said. INDICATING GIBSON AND DUTHIE. The Sub-Inspector had ordered tbe return of tbe rum when he neard of Hens--lev's weak condition of health. "I've bin laid .hup with harcsipchts and hinfluenza," he said. "It's the first tune I've hip hup for it m me nachral." pic stiff penalty of £20 and costs was ; imposed and a month was gi\'en m | which to pay.