Returned Servicemen's Club Heavily Fined

Chronicle (Levin), 11 September 1948, Page 7

Returned Servicemen's Club Heavily Fined

' AUCKLAND, Sept. 10. Fines totalling £200 were imposed cm the Newmarket Returned Servicemen's Club Incorporated and its president, and secretary and treasurer by Mr. J, H. Luxford, S.M., in the Magistrate's Court. The club was charged -with keeping liquor for' sale and selling liqdor withouit a jieence. Franlt Harold Beeby and William John Henderson and John Frederick James Bates each faced two charges of assisting thn club in keeping and selling liquor. Mr. Dickson appeared for defendants, whe pleaded guilty. Senior-Sergeant Southworth said.the cliib was founded with the idea of liquor being kept on the loeker system. However, following complaints two constables paid four visits to the club and large quantities of liquor were seen being sold. There was a continual stream of people to the bar which was at oue end of the hall. Numbers of persons, including wcgnen, yrere seen to be under the influence of liquor. During one year the ■ club bought " 8795 dozen quart bottles of beer, 600 gallons of draught beer and 45 bottles of spirits of a total value of £7918. The club had a membership fee of 5s and had about 800 members. 'its assets were £7000 and its liabilities nil. II appeared to be a very thriving concern. Mr. Dickson said the club was established 20 years ago and provided excellent facilities, and decent returned serviccmen congregated there. The, club had several sports leams, an orchestra and a large concert party. Mr. Dickson said that 7000 bottles of beer a year worked out at 34 bottles a member everv week. ' ' It does not work out that way, ' ' said Mr. Luxford. ' ' T pointed out in 1945 that it was necessarv to observe the law. The club appeared on a sinnlar charge then and . I • inflicted a nominal penalty of £2." The Magistrate said he hoped it would not be long before the law would be put on a reasonable basis when the urge to resist what wero thought to be unnecessarv regulations would be taken away. "It is a bad thing in a community when the law is flouted. The club is setting a very bad example. Indeed, it is becoming a com moj] ' pot house' and is getting returned servicemen a bad name. If it continues the oflicials will be sent to gaol. The law will not be flouted." The club was fined £50 on each of three charges, Beeiiv and Bates were fined £10 each on each of two charges and Henderson was fined £5 on each of two charges. The liquor seized when the police raided the club was ordered to be coufiscated.