PUBLICAN FINED

Southland Times, Issue 19898, 17 June 1926, Page 8

PUBLICAN FINED

A PRIVILEGE ABUSED. MAGISTRATE S STRONG COMMENT. (Per United Press Association.) Auckland, June 16. “From evidence in this case it appears that the privilege a boarder has of entertaining his guests during prohibited hours is being much abused,” said Mr J. W. Poynton in delivering judgment in the Police Court in a case in which E. M Johnston (Mr Me Li ver) was charged with selling liquor and with keeping his premises open during prohibited hours. “Three persons,” said Mr Poynton, “met a son of the licensee in the street. They were thirsty and asked him if they could get the thirst assuaged. He tjiere and then promptly made them his guests and took them to the licensed premises of defendant, his father, where they got drink. When the police entered they found in a boarder’s room nine men, three of whom were claimed as guests by the son and the remainder by a boarder. Neither son nor boarder knew even the names of their guests. There were in the boarder’s room 20 bottles of liquor, six full and 14 empty.” Defendant was convicted on the first charge and fined £2 with costs. The charge of keeping his premises open during prohibited hours was withdrawn.