HEAVIER PENALTIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26442, 22 April 1947, Page 11

HEAVIER PENALTIES

LIQUOR NEAR DANCE HALLS CITY POLICE COURT “ I intend stepping up the penalties in these cases,’’ said Mr J. D. Willis. SM. in the City Police Court yesterday ’ morning, in convicting Robert Henry Richard Holt, aged 18, for being found in possession of liquor in the vicinity of a dance hall. Senior-sergeant J. H. Hogg said the accused was seen with liquor near the Glencairn Hall, Tomahawk, on the night of March 8 last while a dance was in progress. The defendant gave a false name when accosted. .The magistrate said that in view of the defendant's age he would impose a lighter penalty than he would have done in the case of an older man. The defendant was convicted and fined £5 with court costs (10s). Licensee Fined Henrv Thomas Hames. who was represented‘by Mr W. J. Meade, pleaded guilty to charges of selling liquor to a lodger without a signed order and failing to register a lodger. Senior-sergeant Hogg said that a sergeant and a constable visited the Captain Cook Hotel at 10.10 p.m. on March 15 and found six persons in the bar. The defendant was the licensee of the hotel. Two of the men present in the bar were boarders. No chit had been made out for supplying the liquor. The drinks had been paid for by. one of the lodgers. Counsel said that the lodgers had arrived from Invercargill the previous evening. The licensee and his wife had to run the hotel themselves owing to minability to get assistance and only one of the lodgers' names Had been entered in the register.. .The made a mental note of the other man s name, but had overlooked entering it. .The defendant had not previously been before the court? and the police would agree that the hotel had been well conducted. Both charges were of a purely technical nature and did not disclose any wilful breach of th A fine of £2 with court? costs (10s) was imposed on each charge. Change of Ownership For failing to notify change of ovvnership of a motor vehicle George Albert Wheatley was fined 20s and court costs (10s).