RAIDED BY POLICE

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 87, Issue 62, 16 March 1943, Page 3

RAIDED BY POLICE

WELLINGTON PRIVATE HOTEL ALLEGED TO BE HOUSE OF ILL-FAME (P.A.j Wellington, March 15. A visit by the police on Saturday night to the Balmoral Private Hotel, in Courtenay Place, resulted in the appearance in the Magistrate’s Court to-day of a number of women. A housemaid, aged 26, charged with assisting in the management of a house of ill-fame at the hotel, pleaded guilty. The senior-sergeant said her duty was to book in servicemen and young women who visited the hotel. Her instruction was that she was to book them in for the period up to 11 p.m. and on many occasions she “got into hot water” with her employer for booking them into rooms which belonged to regular boarders. These servicemen were booked in only to 11 p.m., but some remained later. That was all right so long as the regular boarders did not return to their rooms. Accused had drawn the attention of the proprietress to the type of couple which was visiting there. Much liquor was consumed there, and it was quite apparent what use the premises were being put to. Accused had acted more as a servant of the proprietress. Marines were charged 10s for a room and sailors £l. Accused had not previously been before the Court and she had drawn her employer’s attention to what was going on. She was sentenced to two months’ imprisonment. The proprietress of the hotel pleaded not guilty to the charge of permitting the premises to be used as a house of ill-fame, and was remanded on bail.

Adjournments were granted in the cases of two women, aged 19 and 24, respectively, who were charged wich being in a house of ill-fame for the purpose of prostitution. Another, aged 25, was convicted and fined £5 Is, her counsel having stated she would like the right of appeal. A similar charge against a 19-year-old office assistant was dismissed, the magistrate warning her to keep away from such places. Police evidence was that they had found her in bed in a room with an American sailor. She was engaged to the man and he had asked her to go to the room. She did not know what the hotel was like.

A charge of being idle and disorderly, in that she had insufficient lawful means of support, was admitted by a 17-year-old milliner, who was remanded.