Sequel To Police Visit To City Hotel On A Sunday Morning

Wanganui Chronicle, 1 June 1948, Page 6

Sequel To Police Visit To City Hotel On A Sunday Morning

“This was a Sunday, apparently—it does not improve matters,” commented Mr. J. H. Salmon, S.M., in the Magistrate’s Court, Wanganui, yesterday, when imposing a fine of £lO, costs 10s, on Edgar Henry Card, licensee of the Station Hotel, who admitted selling liquor after hours. Two barmen, Thomas John Scorringe and William Thomas Prince, charged that being persons other than the licensee, they supplied liquor after hours, were each fined £5, costs 10s.

Senior-Sergeant F. Culloty said that at 11.55 a.m. on Sunday, May 2, he visited the Station Hotel, entering the premises by the front door. The bar door was also open and in there were about 20 men. “I took the names of eight men, some made their escape and the others were guests,” the senior-sergeant added.

Both barmen admitted serving men who were before the Court last week. The licensee was not present at the time, but when called he said that he had a large number of guests and that regular customers had got in amongst them. This was a case of men who were regular customers going on the premises and the barmen taking the risk of serving them, rather than offending them, said Mr. B. C. Haggitt. Prince, as head barman, was actually on the premises for the purpose of taking stock, and the licensee, who did not know that men were unlawfully on the premises, was taking stock in the private bar.

“Because of its location the hotel is not an easy one to run and I would ask the Court to take into consideration the fact that this is the licensee's first conviction for more than 12 months,” counsel added.