LICENSING OFFENCE

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVIII, Issue 19904, 14 September 1934, Page 4

LICENSING OFFENCE

PUBLICAN FINED £3O. By Telegraph—Press Association CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 13. For a breach of the Licensing Act, arising out of bottling draught beer, Matthew Kelly, licensee of the Oxford Hotel, Colombo Street, was fined the minimum, £2O. Kelly pleaded guilty to a charge that, having in his possession bottles with labels affixed, he used such bottles to bottle liquor. The prosecutor said a Sergeant and Constable visited the hotel for the purpose of taking samples of liquor. Under the counter of the private bar they found 12 bottles, 10 of which had Ward and Company’s labels, but none had proper caps. In reply to the Sergeant’s question why the bottles had the wrong caps, Kelly said he had bottled Ward’s draught beer in them. He also said he did not know he was committing a breach of the Licensing Act. Counsel said he was going to ask for leniency, but he understood that the minimum fine was £2O. “It’s a serious, offence under the Licensing Act, but I suppose its a sign of the times,” said the Magistrate, Mr E. D. Mosley. Counsel said he had been assured that the beer was taken from a Ward's keg. The police added that Kelly said he had not sold any beer. It was in the nature of an experiment.