THE LICENSING LAWS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12504, 17 December 1918, Page 6

THE LICENSING LAWS.

NUMEROUS BREACHES.

LICENSEES, BARMEN’ AND

“BOARDERS-”

Quite a number of defendants appeared before Mr 1 S. E. McCarthy, S.M., at the Magistrate’s Court to-day, lo answer charges of broaches of tho licensing laws. William Fraser and William Henry James Simpson worn charged with being unlawfully on licensed premises during prohibited hours, and also with giving false , names . and addresses to the police, Simpson and Fraser, for whom Air Alpers appeared, both pleaded'guilty. It was stated that tho of-

fences took place at the Masonic Hotel. In connection with these charges, . Samuel Forsyth, who did iiot appear, was charged with being on licensed premises during prohibited hours. The offences took place before tho prohibition period imposed by tho Health authorities. Sergeant O'Grady said that Fraser bad persisted in saying that bo was a. boarder, but when asked to name Ins room he said it was' No. 9, which tum.»d out to be a linen closet. Defendant later admitted that lie was not a. boarder. Each defendant was fined 20s and costs on.each charge, in default seven days’ imprisonmentTHE LICENSEE’S INSTRUCTIONS. In connection with these charges, Charles A. Lange (Mr Cassidy), licensee of tho Masonic .Hotel, pleaded guilty to a charge of soiling liquor during prohibited hours, and also with exposing liquor for side during prohibited hours, Sub-Inspector■ Mulln.uy said that the offence had taken place before the prohibited period imposed by the Helath, Department on account of tho influenza epidemic. Lange had been'quite cantod about the matter. Ho told the sergeant that Fraser was not a boarder, The offences had taken, place about eight o’clock in the morning. The defendant gave evidence that ho was just coming downstairs when ho met tho sergeant, on the morning the offence was committed. He was asked if ho knew Fraser, ami replied that ho Mid, but that he was not a boarder. Iho barman had disobeyed his instructions. Tlie barman, Thomas Beasley (Mr llpers) was charged with selling' liquor SfdSJT ,I ” ura - NL; A, pcrs said that defendant bad candidly admitted to the police the fust ■ I but he had sold the liquor. Ho was m the bar cleaning if.,when tho men walked .m. Lange ],ad givt . n ]lim strict instructions wet to sell liquor tomng prohibited hours. The Magistrate said it was remarkable the number ot barmen who disobeyed the instructions of their employers, vet none ol them ever seemed to be dismissed, hach defendant would bo fined £2 and costs. V ■ • TRETENDED BOARDERS. IT IC y Naylor, Ronald Montgomery, James Anderson and John Thomas Do- ' lecty were charged with being on the dicenscd f premises of the Cafe do Haris -ilotel after hours, and also with obtaining .liquor by falsely representing themsolves to be lodgers. A charge against ..each ,(<efeudatit q| ; giving a.{also name and address to , tho police was withdr«wtt,r:w.jtlv tho -consent- of Sub-Inspec-*.°r Aiullauy. Each defendant was lined 20s and costs. "In connection with these four charges Arthur Hose (Mr Cassidy), licensee, of the Gate, de Paris Hotel, was charged , with 1 laving sold liquor after hours and also with exposing liquor for sale after . ■“°’ U ’ S A Em harman, Walter "Williams (Air Cassidy), was charged'with selling hquor .after hours. Tho ddendautl pleaded not guilty. Sub-Inspector Mullany said that the i four-men, who had been supplied''with liquor, bad told the police that they were boarders. They had also told the barman tho samo r and ho supplied them with drink, thinking that they were boarders. However/ when the licensee appeared on the scene ho said the men -were not boarders and ordered them off the premises. The offences had taken place during race week, and the hotel was'very full at the time. Mr Cassidy said that the men had come in with the race crowd. Tho licensee had no knowledge that the men were on the premises. Ho bad given tho police every assistance. The ,licensee had never been previously convicted.

■ - kith-inspector Mullany said that the Cafe de Paris was one of the best conducted hotels in Christchurch. The licensee, Hose, was convicted and heed £2 and costs, and the barman, Ayilhams, was convicted and discharged; . The Magistrate said that there w'ould .be no endorsement of the license.