A COSTLY "FAMILY PARTY"

NZ Truth, Issue 997, 3 January 1925, Page 7

A COSTLY "FAMILY PARTY"

At Black Horse Hotel

HOTELKEEPER IN TROUBLE.

When constables peeped through a slit m the window blind of a room at the Black Horse Hotel the other night, they saw everything calculated to gladden .'the hearts of officers m search of a breach of the Licensing Act. Four or five men were sitting at a table playing poker and drinks were frequently being handed round and paid for. The result was . thai Charies Allingtbn, licensee of the hotel m question, was charged before Magistrate Wyvern Wilson m the Christchurch Court with having: (1) Exposed liquor for sale; (2) sold liquor; (3) kept his hotel open after hours; and (4) permitted 'an unlawful game to be played on his premises. t '' Sub inspector A. Cameron prosecuted and Lawyer M. J. Gressoh appeared for Allington, who pleaded guilty to the fir^t three charges, and not guilty to that which concerned the game of poker. Constable Rowe said 1 he, and a fellow officer saw two men admitted at • a rear door of the premises arid subsequently, through a slit "m the window blind, witness saw pqke,r, being played m the circumstances already described- The police watched the proceedings for half and hour; and then, gaining entry by means of t\ie fire escape, descended oh a little group at the bar slide. The licensee became excited and upset a man and knocked a glass of beer out of his hand m the effort to switch off the light. Constable Waring told a similar story and added that on heairing, that the police came m by means of the fire escape, the licensee exclaimed: "They've broken . and entered the hotel." -■■ Mr. Gresson said there Tvere only three persons wh° hdd been served on the premises, and, regarding the game of poker; it was not ah unlawful game unless declared so hy Statute. In any case, there was no evidence of connivance on Allington's pdrt. The S.M. said the fact of Allington having explained that the, men gathered for a friendly game of cards showed that he had prior knowledge. J. B. White, son-in-law of , the licensee, gave evidence that Allington took the drinks, into .the room for the card players and there, was no money on the table. Shells were used for counters m tlie game, but they \iid hot represent stakes. . The S.M.:' Do you mean to tell me that you would play, for three.. hours and at the finish say: "I've won 300 or 400 shells"? — >Yell, not exactly; Tlie shells were counters?— lYea For money?— Yes. I thought so. Mr. Gresson said the game was merely a family party .and there was no after-hours traffic m liquor. v Sub Inspector Cameron said there had been a previous cprivictib.n, but on that occasion the licensee . had been absent. It had been on account of complaints that constables had been detailed to watch Allington's place. The S.M. said that, judging by the defendant's conduct on this occasion, his absence on the previous occasion did not seem to matter. It was omnrb'h knowledge that publicans made fortunes and then went into retirpment, and, for the reason that much money was made put of hotels, the penalty imposed must bs such that a publican would feel it. If it had not been for the fact that ' Allington had been absent pn the occasion of the 14ist offence, his license would have been endorsed, but that would not be done this -time. The circumstances could only lead to the conclusion that the Black Horse conducted quite a thriving after-hours business. It was shown on the occasion of the. previous case that men gained admission to the hotel through a system of knockIng, but on this occasion the defendant became very excited and challenged the right of the pqlice to enter the place. If, on any future occasion, he came before t the Court on a charge concerning wlhich his . license might be endorsed, the only obvious course would be followed and his license would be endorsed, but m the meantime- it would be for the police to see that the matter was fully represented to the Licensing Committee. Defendant wds fined £6 on each of the first three charges arid £ 5 for permitting gambling.