Singular Hotel Cases.

Opunake Times, Volume IV, Issue 168, 11 February 1896, Page 3

Singular Hotel Cases.

Two charges against Carterton publicans of having served drink during prohibited Iv>urs were heard on Tuesday (the Wellington Post’s correspondent reports), before Mr T- Hutchison, S.M. Inspector Pender conducted the cases and they were both dismissed. The prosecutions arose out of the following statutory declaration : —“ I, Andrew Suttee, of Wellington, commercial traveller, do solemnly and sincerely declare that on Monday, the 18th day of January, 1896, I went down to the Eoyal Oak Hotel, leaving the centre of the township about 9.30 p.m,, arriving at the said hotel at about 9.50 p.m. Went in and saw drinking, dancing and various irregularities proceeding up to about midnight. Constable Darby came in about a quarter to 12 o’clock and had several drinks, two of which I paid for, as well as several drinks with other people prior to the constable’s arrival. There were several men in the house drinking during my stay there. I also declare that on the following evening, Tuesday, the 14th inst., I left the Marquis of Normanby Hotel, where I was and am now staying, at about 9.40 p.m., went down to the White Hart Hotel, met Constable Darby and Mr Dellar in the house, had a yarn with them, and also had drinks with them, for which I paid. This I declare to have been after 10 o’clock in the evening. The constable left about five minutes past ten, and Mr Dellar five or six minutes later. .1 loft the house at a quarter past ten, after having another drink with Mrs Buckeridge and the barmaid, and then came up to the Marquis of Normanby, where I am, as before stated, staying.—(Signed) Andrew Suttee.” (Declared before Messrs Thos. Proctor and A. Bish, Justices.) Andrew Suttee was called as a witness for the prosecution, and on oath stated that this declaration was instigated by Mr Tucker, landlord of the Marquis of Normanby, and drawn up . by the two Justices, Messrs Proctor and Bish, and that he signed it without reading it through, except the last paragraph on the second page, and then only on being urged and told that it would be treated as confidential. He never used the words “ Constable ” Darby, but said a man who said his name was Darby was the man he “ shouted ” for* He still swore he had several drinks at the Eoyal Oak on the night mentioned in the declaration, Six witnesses, however, swore that the bar was not opened after 10 o’clock. His Worship said he would not believe the unsupported testimony of Suttee, and dismissed the information. In the second case, which was against the White Hart Hotel licensee, the witness Suttee said drinks were supplied after 10 o’clock, but they were all “ soft stuff”—limejuice and soda and lemonade. The case was dismissed, and the Magistrate said that Andrew Suttee ought to be prosecuted on the declaration.