SOUTH OTAGO.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21196, 29 November 1930, Page 20

SOUTH OTAGO.

BAICLOTHA DISTRICT NEWS.

(From Otib Own Correspondent.) BAXiCLUTHA, November 28. SLY GROG AT POUNAWEA. The court sitting at Owaka yesterday, before Mr H. J. Dixon, S.M., was the longest for years, mainly owing to the protracted nature of proceedings in two sly-grog cases. W. J. Renton and his wife, Emily Renton, of_ Pounawea, near Owaka, were charged with unlawfully ‘keeping liquor for sale in a no-license district Constable Dark, of Owaka, conducted the prosecution on behalf of the police, and the defendants conducted their own case. The evidence of Donald Malcolm, clerk of the court at Balclutha, showed that the female defendant had purchased about 28 bottles of whisky, for which notices had come through the court. In September she had started , buying whisky in quantities of from three to eight bottles at a time. Before that no liquor notices bad come through for defendants. Constables Dark and Feely gave evidence as to having raided the house of the defendants at Pounawea, but no liquor was *ound. The police evidence went to show that the defendants were in embarrassed financ ‘ ally and owed about “ O w aka and neighbourhood and that three of their children were in the care of the State, the inference sought to be drawn being that they were not persons in a position to treat themselves to so much whisky, notably an expensive liquor to dnnk in those days. It was also adduced that In one of the orders for uquor sent by Mrs Renton to the Provincial Hotel, Dunedin, she had written at the bottom to the effect that she. would be obliged if the licensee would nrt notify this liquor through the court, —The female accused in evidence stated that she had bought the whisky for health reasons, and that she had given it in quantities to a child four years of age, end in that way got rid of several bottles! —The male defendant stated that he also had used the whisky because be had had Influenza.—The magistrate said that* the onus of the law placed upon the accused in cases of this kind had not been discharged, and Renton would be convicted and fined £ls, with costs of court (10s) and witness’s expenses (125)., The female accused would be convicted and ordered to come up for sentence if called upon within two years. John Meek (a brother-in-law of Renton) was similarly charged in respect of

nine bottles of whisky ordered on Octo* her I.—Mr Grigor appeared for the aecused, who pleaded not guilty.—D. Malcolm, clerk of court, produced one notice of liquor consigned to the defendant.— Constables Dark and Feely gave evidence that a search warrant had been executed at the defendant’s place, where they had found five bottles of draft whisky (produced). —The defendant, in evidence, stated that he had used the - liquor when bad with influenza. He had never at any time sold liquor for Renton or obtained liquor for him (Renton in a statement to the police had said that he had given Meek money to buy six bottles of whisky).—His Worship, after reviewing the evidence, said that the defendant had discharged the onus placed upon him, and the information would be dismissed. POLLUTING TROUT STREAM. Arthur Wilson (manager for Tyson and Co., sawmillers) was charged with allowing sawdust to be released into a creek running into the Owaka - River, thereby committing a, breach of the regulations under the Fisheries! Act.—Mr Grigor appeared for the Otago Acclimatisation Society.—The society’s ranger and Constable Dark gave, evidence for the prosecution, and the defendant called six witnesses to show that sawdust had run into the stream from other mills and that he was being made a scapegoat; also that on the day the ranger came there had been a fresh in the creek, causing the sawdust to come down.—The defendant was convicted and fined the minimum amount of, £2, without costs, and solicitor’s fee (£1 is).