"Detective" Bert Munns Finds Himself in Gaol at Last

NZ Truth, Issue 1028, 8 August 1925, Page 7

"Detective" Bert Munns Finds Himself m Gaol at Last

"Assassin of Men's Characters 11

"A Plague Spot on Public Morality

Conjurer, private inquiry agent, would-be publicist,- would-be land agent, and finally sly-grog seller, Bert William Munns has played many parts — some of them shady ones. "Contemptible liar," "assassin of men's characters" (vide Superintendent Mackinnon 's report when Munns applied for a land agent's license) and finally "a plague spot on public morality" (Magistrate Wyvern Wilson) are terms which have been applied to the sleuth and sly-grog seller's character . and habitat respectively within the last few months. His last escapade, for which he is now serving a month's hard labor, has revealed an appalling unscrupulousness and immorality m this man, who, for years, earned a living and an unenviable notoriety as a spy m matrimonial actions. The narrative below of the sordid doings m his squalid den of vice, vicious ness and drink known as "Jazz Temple," his Christchurch home, will certainly serve to strengthen "Truth's" hand m its advocacy for the licensing of "private inquiry agents."

Before relating the story of "Jazz Temple," a word as to Munns and his career. A big man physically, with bulbous blue eyes, he has and always- has had the effrontery only des'cribable by "the cheek oof Old Nick," as witness his furious pursuit of our photographer who endeavored to "snap" him as he entered the Christchurch Court. CHARGED POLICE WITH BRIBERY. Years ago, Munns was before the public as an itinerant sleight-of-hand expert, and blossomed from that into a private inquiry agent m Wellington. His work lay almost entirely m securing evidence m divorce suits, a calling which suited this sly . and unscrupulous man very well. Four or five years ago he went to Christchurch from Wellington, and gained a similar notoriety there. For a while he cherished the idea of issuing a paper to be called "Scandal." but, abandoning the idea, aspired to land and estate agency work. It was then that Munns was laid bare m his true colors, for, scenting objection by the Land Agents' Association to his membership, he stooped (the posture 4 was not a difficult one for him) to an allegation that the police had been bribed to oppose his application. Thereupon Superintendent Mackinnon made the statements referred to above, and it was stated (by counsel for the Association) that "Munns's Wellington history, for example, had been dipped into fairly freely. . . . Inquiries had been made m Kaikoura regarding one of Munns's transactions there. . . . The affidavits disclosed some astonishing things." Baulked of his desire to sell houses, Munns apparently . had recourse to sly-grog. Honest work has no charms for this sleuth, now condemned to hard labor.

JAZZ TEMPLE. j And Munns wont m for the business m big licks, with gaiety and licentiousness as the key-note. It was on the evening- of July 14 that his place was raided, and an astonishing, business was revealed. Prom the windows of his house m Hereford Street the sound of jazz (purveyed by the phonograph) poured out into the night, and, coming nearer still, laughtor and the shrill exclamations of gay and excited femininity reached the detectives' ears. There were 29 youngsters on the premises, nine being girls, and the ages ranged from 15 to 19. Two of the girls v/ere only 15. Some were jazzing, while eight youths and a, girl were with Munns. who stood surrounded ,by his bounteous stock m another room. Faced with the detectives, lie shouted: "You chaps don't buy your drink; it's given to you." He stood' by then, while the party viewed his enormous stock of beer, stout and port wine. The back y-ird was littered with dead marines. It was also noted that, m the previous fiye months, Munns had received 327 gallons of beer from a brewery at Rangiora. The result was that he was arraigned m the Magistrate's Court on ten charges of selling liquor without a license and three of having exposed it for sale m an unlicensed house. PEARL TELLS HER STORY. After the police evidence, a young man. Hone Anderson Riley, related having gone with a girl named Pearl and a mixed party to Munns's. That night a dance was m progress, and drinks cost him 2s Gd. He was there again another night. Following his tale of revelry, Pearl materialised, and said her

second name was Nicholls, and she was aged sixteen. She smilingly told the Court that she knew Riley only as Hone. She said she was m the bar, too. Senior-Sergeant Lewin: How many drinks of port wine did you -have.— I had more than one. The Magistrate: Who gave it to you? — Mr. Munns. The Senior-Sergeant: Who paid?— My friend. Mr. McL,achlan (who appeared for Munns): How did you know it was a bar?— l W ould be very silly if J- r -"d not know what a bar was like. Did you hav.e drink before you went.' —No. _ ; Weren't you ordered out?— On one occasion we wore told that our company was not required. Sweet sixteen, saucily attired, came to light once more when Hannah Vera Garnett minced forward, and said she had been to. Munns's three times, and had had drink from tho hand oC the sleuth himself. „ Mr. McL-achlan: Did you go there drunk? — No. Were you caught m the Occidental Hotel?— Yes. . , Were you kicked out of New Brighton baches? — No. You have been- to baches? — Yes. Sergeant Kelly came next. He said the parties were held on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and sometimes on Saturdays. Munns told him he had been •"deucedly unpopular" since the land-agent fiasco. Evidence was also given that Munns was not an agent of the brewery. CANVASSING LIQUOR SALES. The defence was opened with the excuse that Munns had opened a depot (which, it was admitted, ho was not entitled to do) to canvass for outside sales. The parties were an endeavor to popularise himself after the land agent's affair, because people threw mud at him over his career as an inquiry agent. There were no sales of liquor at the parties, but sometimes the hat was sent round to cover expenses. Munns, called to give evidence, said the only time he had given drink atj the. parties was on the night of the, raid, when a couple of young fellows pushed into the room. Previously any drink they had had was brought by those attending. Counsel: There was no -wholesale d r i n k i n.g. then ? — No . The Magistrate: Surely it is not suggested that there was anything else but retail drinking! (Laughter.) Counsel (to Munns): What was the Idea of the parties? — So that I would become better known m my business. How do you explain the 51 bottles of Burton Brewery beer- m the room? — They were samples. What was the other beer? — It was home-brewed that a friend asked me to take around to see if people liked it. What of the gin and the whisky?—; Young fellows brought it along, and I. took charge of it. | The Bench found Munns guilty on the first charge, and he pleaded guilty to the rest. A PLAGUE SPOT. I Magistrate Wyvern Wilson, deliver- | ing sentence later m the week, said: •. "Dealing with the case concerning Riley, the evidence leads me to suppose that the place w.is a. plague spot on public morality. There was only one person m the place over 20 years of age, except Munns and his wife. There was a bar, and liquor was sold to young persons dancing there. Some young persons got into low habits, and were drinking to excess on more than one occasion. ... Two girls have gone wrong and have been sent away, and this morning a young man was sentenced to a month m gaol for debauching girls. The business Munns conducted caused immorality of that sort. One month's hard labor will be imposed on the charge of- selling liquor to Riley." In regard to the other charges, the Magistrate observed that Munns carried on practically the business of an unlicensed wine and spirit merchant, and canvassed abroad for orders, hawking liquor around with him. "He knew pei-fectly well what he was doing. Munns knew that he had no right to hawk round the country and sell to private houses. I don't know \vhy it is that he is destitute. He has a house of 12 rooms and he rents rooms to people. I don't think .he would lose money by selling liquor. Two duplicated charges will be withdrawn, and he. is fined £3 on each of the remaining ten charges."