COSTLY ILLEGAL BUSINESS.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XIV, Issue 819, 16 November 1905, Page 24

COSTLY ILLEGAL BUSINESS.

A Lower Queen-street restaurateur named Peter Franchi has for some little time past occupied a good deal of the local Magistrate’s Court. Incidentally he has added comfortable sums to the country’s revenue, and also to the income of several gentlemen of the law. Starting off he faced a charge of over-working some employees ; this resulted in heavy fines. Smarting under this, Peter had a turn on his own, and had several of his late employees before the Court on several charges of theft. These charges were all dismissed, Peter paying costs, and the possibility of more being heard of the matter from the other side. The third and last act up to the time of writing was enacted in the Police Court last Friday, when Peter pleaded not

guilty of having sold liquor without a license. These ex-employees gave evidence for the prosecution, which was that ; two men who had come into the restaurant for ‘oyster suppers asked for • ten bottles .of beer, tendering half ■ a sovereign in payment. Franchi sent out and procured draught beer, filling it into bottles with bottled beer labels on. On another occasion a man was charged two shillings for a bottle ,of stout, which had cost one shilling. After the evidence had been heard, Franchi’s counsel decided not to put his client into the witness box to give evidence on oath. The magistrate said he was satisfied on the evidence for the prosecution that liquor had been sold by Franchi without a license. On the first charge l e fined defendant XlO and costs £1 Bs, and on the second he was fined £25, and costs 7s. The revenue cock has crowed thrice, it is now up to Peter.