XMAS CELEBRATIONS

Waikato Independent, Volume XL, Issue 3668, 15 February 1940, Page 5

XMAS CELEBRATIONS

r . / JN HQTEt AFTER HOURS

TWENTY-SIX MEN IN COURT

Twenty-six Cambridge residents who were found by Constable C. H. M'aisey in the bar of the Central Hotel on Christmas Eve, together with the licensee and three barmen, appeared before Mr W. H. Freeman, S.M., in the Cambridge Court this morning, charged with breaches of the licensing laws. Mr R. McVeagh, of Auckland, appeared for the licensee and barmen, who all pleaded guilty. Constable C. H. Maisey stated that at about -seven minutes past eleven on the Friday night before Christmas he and Constable Beck visited;-the Central Hotel, entering by the .back door. ■ In the private bar were 22 men and three barmen engaged serving them with liquor. Each man present appeared to have been served .drinks,-and two of them* on . giving their names, asked to be allowed to take 12 large bottles of ale, which they said they had purchased in c the hotel about ten minutes previously. The Constable? stated that this was his third visit to the hotel after .6 p.m. that night, the ..former showing that the bars were clear of the public.

Shortly before 4 p.m. continued Maisey, he said he had warned'the three licensees in Cambridge that the police had received a complaint to the effect that the Cambridge hotels proposed to indulge in after-hour'i trading that night, and that it was his duty to see that the law was strictly enforced. The complaint came through Senior-Sergeant Lambert, of Hamilton.

The men charged with being on the premises after hours were John Hardy .Jenkins, William McKinnon, Eric Nathanial Broderson, Charles Perry, Rodger. Pentelow, Herbert Alec Hooper, Edward John Pfentelow, Gordon William Sweetman, Robert James Graham, Rauaroha William Henry /Gill, ? William Henry Charles Workman, Norman Ernest Workman, Frank Bush, Thomas Neil, Henry Osbourne, Alfred Stuart, William Greeiv Fred Cooper, David Samuel Walker an d Leonard Gordon Gill. They were fined 10/with costs.

Licensee’s Difficulties Stressed

Pointing out that this night was officially observed as Christmas Eve, Mr MiriVeagh said that surely some concession.- could be made. The difficulty,., of,.a,licensee at such a time was often lost sight of—he had to agree to, the wishes of the people. The licensee, .had been in the trade for five years as a hotelkeeper arid there had been no complaints concerning him. His was a good record; There was no justification for the offence but the circumstances justified some alleviation, said Mr McYeajh. ” The Magistrate stated that it had been foolish to,, trade after hours, after being 'Willed 'Police^/: The risk was ;ttiri,-; : bijt:.having regard to the time pfj 4he year* the: fines would be light. rd- L vdi ;i For selling liquor ifter hours, the’ licensee, Walter,?lHeiiry Guthbeft, was fined £2.Cc? s> *cr Fpr supplying liqtior after hours, ihe three barmd tf/ ‘Francis Herbert Joblin, Allan Alexander Pennell and . Sidney' Harry Hhsftin were each fined £1 with cbsls'j 2 v