HUNGRY MAN AND HOTELKEEPER

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1098, 10 April 1911, Page 6

HUNGRY MAN AND HOTELKEEPER

LICENSEE ADMONISHED AND FINED (By ToloerajY-ProTs Association.) w ii -»r ■ April 8. c ~t he Maß'slrato's Court to-day, bofore Mr. Bailey, S.M., Robert Berti, liceuIT "I I 0 ,«>;»•. Hotel, Addinston, was changed thai, being an innkeeper, lie die fail to supply a meal to a traveller, U io ' m" mp! ? Jj ; lwlor > °« the night of March ... Mv. C. A. Stringer appeared for doiendant, who pleaded guilty Jli- .Stringer said that the breach was a technical one, and there were extenuating circumstances. At 7.40 on the night in question, Lawlor came in, ami asked for-ten meals It was the day oftho cooks weekly half-holiday, and she waa away. Ihu housemaid had leit oft' duty nt 1 p.m., and Sirs. Berti was absent at the theatre. Berti was, in fuel, the only porsou in (ho hotel, except the rouseabout. He (old Lawlor that it was impossible to let him have (he meals iu the circumstance;, and Lawlor did not press the matter, but ineiely went away. The police report on defendant's house was favourable.

Sub-Inspector M'Grath said (bat he could not accept counsel's statement of facts as correct. On the evening in question, twelve men were kept working rather late shearing sheep at the show grounds for the ram and owe fair to fee held next ilav. At 7.30 p.m. one of them called at the hotel, and asked if there was any chance of gctMug tea. Ho said nothing about the other men. Defendant replied that them was no chance whatever, the, servants being away, and' the kitchen closed. The man then s>iM that the: , '! were twelve of them altogether, and asked if they could have tea. Defendant said

"So." The nun then obtained two bottles of beer, and went to a store for bread and cheese. There was more than a technical breach when a licensee failed to supply a meal to a hungry man. Ho might at least have given the urn Iho bread and cheese. Nothing was known against defendant previously.

The magistrate said that, in a similar case some time ago. ho had laid it down that it was a publican's duty to supply meals. If a traveller called at an unreasonable hour it was a publican's duty to tell him that it was too lain for an. ordinary meal, but that ho would let him have "a cold snack." The publican must do the best ho could in the circumstances, but the traveller should not bo turned

Mr. Stringer said that it was unfortunate that the man should have come to the hotel when there was no one but defendant in the house. The defendant was fined 305., and costs.