CONDUCT OF HOTEL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25175, 16 March 1943, Page 4

CONDUCT OF HOTEL

NUMBER OF WOMEN CHARGED (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Mar. 15. A visit by the police on Saturday night to the Balmoral Private Hotel in Courtenay place resulted in the appearance in the Magistrate s Court U-day of a number of women. A housemaid, aged 25, who was charged with assisting in the management ox a house of ill-fame at the hotel, pleaded guilty. The senior sergeant of police said that the girl's duty was to both in servicemen and young women who visited the hotel. Her instruction was that she was to book them in for the period up to 11 p.m., and on many occasions she " got inf- hot water ” with her employer lor booking them into rooms which belonged to regular boarders. These servicemen were booked in only to 11 p.m., but some remained later. That was all right so long as the regular boarders did not return to their rooms. The accused had drawn the attention of the proprietress to the type of couple which was visiting the hotel. -Much liquor was consumed on the premises, and the use to which the premises were being put was quite apparent. The accused had acted more as a servant of the proprietress. Marines were charged 10s for a room, and sailors £l. The accused had not previously been before the court, and she had drawn her employer's attention to what was going on. The accused was sentenced to two months' imprisonment. , , The proprietress of the hotel oleadea not guilty to a charge of permitting it to be used as a house of ill-fame, and was remanded on bail. Adjournments were granted m the cases of two women, aged 19 and 24 respectively. who were charged ■ with being in a house of ill-fame for the purpose cf prostitution. Another woman, aged 25, was convicted and fined £5 Is, her counsel having stated that she would like the right of appeal. A similar charge against a 19-year-old office assistant was dismissed, the magistrate warning her to keep away from such places. A charge of being idle and disorderly in that she had insufficient lawful means of support was admitted by a 17-year-old milliner, who was remanded.