LIQUOR IN DRY AREA

Taranaki Daily News, 12 April 1935, Page 7

LIQUOR IN DRY AREA

LARGE '■ QUANTITY SEIZED

PROSECUTION AT TAUMARUNUI.

FINE OF FORTY POUNDS IMPOSED.

WHAT THE POLICE DISCOVERED.

(By Telegraph—Special to News.) Taumarunui, Last Night.

In the Magistrate’s Court this morning before Mr. R. M. Watson, David Owen McElroy was charged under section 272 of the Licensing Act with keeping liquor (beer and' stout) for sale, and Herbert Vincent McElroy, Taringamotu, was charged with keeping liquor for sale and with storing liquor for another person, David Owen McElroy, boardinghousfikeener of Taumarunui. Sergeant C. Hartey prosecuted and Mr. D. C. Cullinane appeared for the defendants and entered ■nle&s of not guilty* . *■ Counsel for defendant admitted the proclaimed area and the Government analyist’s report (stout 7.80 per cent, proof spirit and beer 6.65 per cent, proof spirit), and it/whs agreed that aU the charges be taken together Describing the raid on the defendants premises Constable McLennan said that when*the police entered David McElroys premises there were four men m the kitchen, where there were spent matches and cigarette butts on the floor. Newly washed bottles and glasses were found in the kitchen, and in a small room off the kitchen two empty quart bottles arid four glasses containing beer Were found on a table Seven quart bottles of beer and stout were found in a bedroom, and in a small storeroom 60 full quart bottles of beer and stout in ’ sacks, a two gallon jar full of stout and a corking machine were found. In a two full 10-gallon kegs of beer, one 5-gallon keg of gooseberry wine, two empty 5-gallon kegs and seven, quart bottles of beer and stout were discovered. Late in the day (March 2) a warrant was executed on Herbert Vincent McElroy’s premises at Taringamotu, where 26 sacks containing 20 bottles each of beer and stout and three sugar sacks full of empty bottles were seized. Two 40-gallon casks full of home brew were, found near a bank awayfrom the house, and nearby two coppers, apparently used for. making home brew, were standing under a tree. He estimated that in all 806 qfiarts of home brew beer and stout Bruce and Sergeant Harley supported Constable McLennans evils'. Grace H. McElroy said in her evidence that she was the owner of the farm where some of the liquor was Owen McElroy said he made large quantities of home brew on his Xter’s farm and his brother had nothingto do with the manufacturing. He and Ks wife did a lot of entertaining and with friends they consumed six or seven dozen bottles of beer and stout every magistrate said he did not think Herbert Vincent McElroy had anything to do with the storing of the borne brew. He considered that it was rather strange for such a large quantity of beer to be made in the country. The onus was on defendant and he had not discharged David Owen McElroy was fined £4O and costs. The liquor was confiscated and the defendant was ordered to pay the analyst’s fees. - •