Hotel Licensees Fined For Exposing Liquor After Closing Hours

Wanganui Chronicle, 10 November 1950, Page 3

Hotel Licensees Fined For Exposing Liquor After Closing Hours

Fines totalling £l9 (costs £4/18/-) were imposed by Mr. A. Coleman, S.M., in the Marton Court yesterday morning for breaches of the licensing law. All defendants pleaded guilty. Sergeant W. J. Brown prosecuted for the police department. A visit paid by the Marton police to the Railway Hotel, Turakina, at 6.40 p.m. on October 5, had its sequel when the licensee, Norris Raymond Adcock was convicted and lined £5 (costs 12/-) for exposing liquor for sale. Sergeant Brown said he found three Maoris in the bar at the time, and all were about to depart when the police entered. A fourth man managed to make his exit by the backdoor, and was not caught. Mr. K. A. Williams, who appeared lor Adcock, said there had been no sale of liquor after 6 p.m. The licensee had, however, permitted the men to remain on the premises after closing hours.

The three men found on premises after hours were each convicted and lined £2 (costs 12/-). The licensee seems to be treating his responsibilities rather casually, commented the magistrate when entering a fourth conviction against George Charles Gray, licensee of the White Hart Hotel, Marton, who pleaded guilty through Mr. K. A. Williams to exposing liquor for sale. Gray was lined £4 (costs 10/-). Outlining the case, Sergeant Brown said that when he entered the hotel at 6.45 p.m. on October 7, he found three men in the bar. Two of them had been invited in by the licensee, and they were served with drinks by the barman.

Gray had asked the men Into the hotel after they had assisted him to start his car, said Mr. Williams. They had accepted the invitation and the barman served them with liquor. There had been no sale of liquor nor was there any intention, said Mr. Williams. It was just unfortunate that the licensee did not go into the bar with the men, but he had to take some guests to the train. Before entering a conviction, Mr. Coleman commented upon the "dangerous sort of practice" adopted by the licensee, of sending the men into the bar for a drink. The barman, James O’Dwyer, for supplying liquor after hours, was lined £1 (costs 10/-). The three men found on the premises were each fined £1 (costs 10/-). MARTON BOROUGH RATES No forecast can be made regarding the increase or decrease in the Marton Borough rates. This was stated by Mr. T. E. Barton, mayoral candidate for Marton, in a policy speech last night. He said that in the event of new water and sewerage schemes being adopted by the council, ratepayers could not escape paying for the cost of these services. His policy was minimum rating consistent with steady progress. Explaining the water closet charge of 10/- annually, Mr. Barton said It was introducted as a financial necessity owing to the limited rating power of the council. Owing to the now Improved rating powers, however, Mr. Barton said he intended to recommend its discontinuance. PAINTING GAS-HOLDLERS The painting of the holders and plant at the Marton Gasworks has commenced and when completed will give the works an appearance they have not had for many years. Reporting this to the borough council meeting last night, the manager, Mr. A. A. Watson, said the painting would preserve the plant and out-buildings for a further period. During the month,added Mr. Watson, 51 tons 14 cwt. of coal was carbonised at the gasworks, yielding six bags of coke to the ton of coal. CHARGE DISMISSED Giving a false name to the Marton police was denied by Edgar Ronald Gnflin, Hunterville when he was charged in the Marton Court yesterday morning. After hearing Griffin's explanation the magistrate, Mr. A. Coleman, dismissed the charge. Seageant W. J. Brown said that when he accosted defendant in a Marton hotel after hours, defendant gave his name as Edward Griffin and said he was a well-known farmer of Hunterville. Subsequent inquiries elicited the information that there was no Edward Griffin but a Edgar Ronald Griffin, a rabbiter, living at Hunterville. Griffin told the magistrate that he had been in the district for the past 28 years, and he never gave a thought that the sergeant did not know him. It was his contention that there a misunderstanding due to the similarity of the names Edward and Edgar. In dismissing the charge, the magistrate said there was room for a misunderstanding.