BELOW STANDARD

Southland Times, Issue 20002, 16 October 1926, Page 7

BELOW STANDARD

ADULTERATED WHISKY. ' HOTEL LICENSEE FINED. CASE IN A (JUKI AND. (Per United Press Association.) Auckland, October 15. “It seems quite clear that whisky in one bar of the hotel was tampered with deliberately and with some system,” said Mr V. N. Hubble in the Police Court in the prosecution of Walter John Arnold, licensee of the Shamrock Hotel, Wellesley street, on five charges of selling whisky which was not true to label. Defendant, for whom Mr Allan Moody appeared, pleaded guilty to each charge. Mr Hubble said that on August 6 an iiMpartor employed by the Health Department went to the Shamrock Hotel and secured eight samples of whisky. Of the eight samples taken, five were found on analysis being marie, to be not true to label. Mr Hubble said he was unable to say whether the whisky was either of the brands, Perfection, Black and White, D.C.L., Bells or Bulloch, diluted with water, or whether it was draught whisky toned down. However, in each case the liquor was found to l»e below the standard strength of the brands mentioned. Some few months ago several other licensees had been convicted and fined for similar offences. However, it appeared that these cases had not had the desired effect. Mr Moody stated that he had been advised by Arnold to plead guilty for as licensee he was responsible for the acts of his servants. Arnold was a well-known licensee and had never been charged with a similar offence before. For some time defendant had been away ill and had to delegate his authority to others. He had no reason to suspect any of his barmen, but it was quite probable that while Arnold was away from the hotel someone conceived the idea of making a little extra money. Counsel, however, admitted that Arnold was legally responsible but asked that a light penalty should be imposed. The Ma-gistrate, Mr Outten/imposed fines of £5 and costs, including solicitor’* fee £1 1/-, on each charge, a totei of £36 8/-.