MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1974, 3 February 1914, Page 11

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

LICENSEES' GUESTS. THE PIER HOTEL CASE FAILS. Tho licensee o f the Pier Hotel, Patrick Griffin, was charged, before Mr. V. G. Hiddeli, .S.M., in the Magistrate s Cofut jesteiday, with having pxposptl liquor ior wlo during prohibited hours on January 8. Philip Ih me and l'xlward Grindtay i\ere chaiged with having been lound on the premises. Inspector IJpndiey the police, and Mr. J. ,T. M'Urath appettred tor tho defendants, Evidenco for tho prosecution was given by Sergeant Levin, who iuul that when he and Constable Canning had entered, tho Pior Ilotol at about 10.30 on the night of January 3, and had found Griffon, Byrne, and Grindlsy in tho bar. I'liere wt>ro also glasses on tho counter. U>rno and Grindlay statcl that they wero boarders, and Gfiffiu afterward's assured Tvitnrss that that statement was correct. Tho door opening on to the Ktreot was closed at tho time t and no liquor nap risiblo until ono entered tho private bar. Constable Canning also gave cridpiico. Ho stated, inter alia, that, tomo timeatter tho sergeant and he had scon tho men in tho hotel, ho observed Grindlay going towards the Kolburno car. Mr. M'Grath- This is a particularly well conducted hotel? Th? constablo: Yos, as far as I Icnoiv ■Mr. M'Grath: Is it not one of thebest conducted in New Zealand?—"! con Id not say that." Air. M'Grath submitted that thoro was absolutely no evidence of liquor having been exposed, and that therefore the caso should bn dismissed without tho (lefpneo being called on. An injustice had been done Hie licensee in bringing proceeding'. His Worship intimated that he would liko to hear defendant's evidence. Tho defendant, Patrick Griffin; then wont into tho box, and stated that Grindhy was a particular Jriend of his, Tlip Grmdlaye licquently went thoro nnd dined with him on Sundays, they had Christmas dinner there, nnd wheii ttitnnss was ill Grindlay used to sit flith him and kcpp him companv every night for woeks. So when drindlay looked in at tho hotel sqmo time bpforo 10 o'clock on the evening in question witness took him into the office, and they sal thcro and talked for about an hour. When Grindlay spoke of going homo witness remarked that ho had better havo a drink, and ihey then movfld to tho bar. Byrne wa-s iii tho bar, nnd witness invited him to join them When tho police camo in Grindlay said that ho might stay for tlio night, and he afterwards expressed willingness to stay, but witness told him that ho ought to gn homo, and added that there was nothing to fear, as he was theio as a guest. Witness hid kept tho Pier Hotel for sevnii years, and had never before had a complaint as to Ins conduct of it.

Tho . Ma.gisirSte dismissed the three iniofmatiiins, and rema^ke-d. :.tl\a,t. bad tlw emanations given io the police . Svliek 'tliey , called .tin*',.oases, probably-, would not bavo been brought. , ■- '" - ''"..'■

SHAMROCK HOTEL, Percy Kflgcrs, the Jioeiisee of the Sh-amroek .■Hotijl, woe charged with haviitg bpenqd his pr.emiseo-:for .thc...salo oi liquor during prohibited hdufs On Jnuu.itry 17. Ja.rnes Jess Carfequ and George Charles John Taylpr weri charged with having .bec.ii found , on tbo.premises, . Uv. "T, Voting appeared fw the defendants. The ■ police stated "that' they had noticed a light hi a- room ii'i the . hofel nftor/ 2 ti'dodt in tllo morning, wk} oil iktefiHig heS-rd spmeenex count, as ,though playing erib, and. h.eard a rc'flinrk, "That's two bob I've won back that I"had 'lost, before." When'tho men eame out of the hot-el one of them Was ihto.xica;t<id. " The evidence for- the defendants was to the efffict that tho licensee had invited th*> two iiien in to. plaji' cards. They had played Giiohrfl, but had" iiot piayfed for menoy. iii. Young contended that as there was uo evidence of the premisßS bpiiig. accessible from the outside, the .chafge of having kept ope.ii could not succeed. Decision in the three cases was .re■servecL

FAMILY AFFAIRS. Frederick Blacklidgcy a Üboufet, was sentenced fo three months', imprisonment for disobsdie.ncg of an order to support his four children. The defend* ant was £47 in nrrew, and the police stilted that ha was averse to hard work, arid fond of drink, . . GeQrgo Cortcs-sa wjis sentenced to 28 days' imprisonment in Grcymouth, gaol for failure to comply with an order to m«ints\ih his wife. Sadie Meek was granted, a separation from, her hvisbahd, Pot.er Stoker Meek, who was ordered to .contribute £1 per week towardsher. maintenance.

. OTHER COtJET GASES.. Jtilia Schulte was fined IDs., with £1 7s, 6d. damageSi for having broken the windows in a_ houfc-b in Alfred Street, ' For insobriety, jlniily Baiter Was fined £1, Patrick Rico £1, John MbbißSon iOs., Alb?ft .Jackson ids., William Bfftek £1, James Walker 10s. s and Frede'riejc Kingaii was Tijmahdsd ; to fedejve. a woek.'s' medical treatment, James Walker was fined £3 for hav-. ing committed a certain afct in 'fory Street, Tho ■defendant said that .]ie was very drmik at the. time, •