ENGLISH CRICKETERS CITED IN PROSECUTION

Chronicle (Levin), 21 June 1947, Page 3

ENGLISH CRICKETERS CITED IN PROSECUTION

By\ Telegraph-l

UiilCXBTUli U JiCHj 3 Tlie £iame,s o'f-fiye Eiiqijsli W.-U. YarU'le^j T. P. B. V. Bedseh . ' D,; 1 S. ' Compton and. T. G. 'Evans, .yYei'p'-jmentioned in a case wliich was* lieard in tlie Magistrafe 's Court by Mr. Raymond Ferner, S.M., when Hubert Addis, Cabaret lessee, W4is charged with having liquor in Tus* possession near a dance hall on March 22. Addis pleaded not guilty. Mr. K. A. Youiig appeared for defendant and Senior-Bergeant G-. H. L. Holt prosecuted. Iii evidence .Sergeant . J. M. Burke said that he was a niembor of a police party wliich visited the Mayfair Lounge Cabaret at 11.12 p.m. on March 22 and in company M-ith a constable went into a small room. There were about 20 people of both sexcs in the room and glasses containing liquor. He told Addis that the visit was made because of complaints, ,to which Addis replied that it was his private room and that the people were his guests. Sergeant F. G. Heywood said he was also a member of the party but that he went to the top floor before going to the room below. Constable S. E. Brooks said he had

seen liquor being handed to dance patrons from a ticlcet box adjoining defendant Js room. In defenco Addis said he held a lcase of the two top floors and the entrance to the building. Half-way up the stairs was the room which he used for private jiurposes. On the night of the alleged oft'ence a naval oflicer was there wdio said he kncw oue of the English cricketers, T. G. Evans. The naval oflicer was asked to invite him to spend ihe evening there and to invite other cricketers who miglit wish to coine. He also invited some other guests. He had not charged admission but had supplied them with liquor and would nlar>' Tiavp, suoolied supper had the

police not arrived. He told the police that the people there were personal friends of his afld had nothing to do with the dance. He was certain that none had attended the dancfe and he was entertaining as if it was at his own home. The Englishmefl resented the presenccof the police at what they considered a private party. . • Eeviewdng the evidence the Magistrate said that the purpose of the Act was to prevent liquor being consumed near a dance hall. The circumstanceS in a closely built city could be different from those iii country places. Addis was lessee of the Mayfair Lounge and it appeared that he lcept a quantity of liquor in his room. Evidenqe had been given ' that on the day- in question liquor had been handed from the ticket office to persons who attended the dance and he thought that was, quite conclusive evidence. Aeeordingly Addis woc pnmric.tfid and fined £3.