SELLING LIQUOR AFTER HOURS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 205, 18 May 1918, Page 8

SELLING LIQUOR AFTER HOURS

A LICENSEE FINED .£5. Before Mr. S.' 15. M'Carthy, S.M.. in the Magistrate's Court yesterday, Elizabeth Greeo. licensee of tho Caledonian Hotel, was charged with selling liquor after hours; her daughter, Mabel Green, was charged with supplying liquor after hours; and Sydney Hunter and Thomas Moran were charged with beinjr found on licensed premises after hours. Mr. J. J. Al'Grafh uppeared for Mrs. Green, Miss Green, and Thomas Moran. The other defendant was not present. AH tho charges arose out of the one incident, and were consequently taken together.

Sergeant Butler slated that on May 2 at 10 p.m., in company with Constable Mackay, he visited the Caledonian Hotel. Before entering the hotel 116 saw a soldier knocking at the side door, and ns the door was opened to admit the soldier witness walked in, and was followed soon after by the constable. Tho man who opened the door for tho soldier (a permanent boarder) was Condliffc, also a permanent boarder. Witness, on entering, went to the bar, which was lit up, and found three men there, each »with a glass of beer before him. Mabel Green was behind the bar. When questioned, she said the men wore hoarders. He then questioned tho men, but while this was going 011 neither Mrs. Green' nur her daughter was present. Hunter said he was a boarder, but could not give the number of his room. Hunter was then asked for his enrolment certificate, which 110 produced. This showed that he was a married man, living in Coromandel Street. Moran was asked for his name and address, which he gave. Ho said 'lie was boarding at the hotel, but could not give tho number of his room. Thai third mau in the bar was Blair, but as his name appeared in the hotel book he was not questioned. The names of lloran and lluuler did not appear in tho hotel book. Later witness spoko to Miss Green, and asked her if either ol the men (Hunter and Moran) had asked for beds. Sho said they had come in about 7 o'clock that evening and asked for beds, but later she said that it was only Hunter who had asked for a bed. Moran said he was a boarder. Constable Mackay gave ovidenco in support. For the defence Elizabeth Green, licensee of the Caledonian Hotel, said that when the police entered she was in bed. She did not know what look place except what she was told by her daughter. Her daughter came to her room about 10 p.m., and Id consequence of what she told her witness dressed herself and went downstairs. Moran had been a boarder iasK Christmas and had since stayed at tho hotel. He became 11 boarder the night the police entered, and remained a week. Sho did not bother with entering t'jo names of the temporary boarders in the book, only the names of permanent boarders were ontorcd up. Mabel Green snid she was in tho bar when the police entered. Hunter, Moran, and Blair were oiso there. Just about 10 p.m. she was asked by some of the boarders for drink, consequently the bar was lighted, and liquor served. She supplied liquor to Condlifl'e, Blair, and Hunter. The latter came to the hotel about 7 p.m. and asked for a bed, and she told him she would fix him up later. She did uot know who ho was, and did not 6ee'hiro again until ho came to the bar. At the time she supplied Hunter with liquor she honestly believed that ho was a boarder in the hotel. Moran was only a moment or so in the bar when the police came in. lloran asked to see the licensee, and nover asked for a drink, awl was not supplied with any. Thomas Moran said he went to the Caledonian Hotel on the night in question and stayed there a week. He was on holiday. He did not havo a drink at the bar that night. James William Condlifl'e, a boarder, also gave evidonce. After reviewing the evidence, the Magistrate held that he must convict. He fined Mrs. Green «C 5, Mabel Green i' 2, and Hunter JE2. The information ugainbl Moran was dismissed.

FOUND ON LICENSED PREMISES'.

Vincent Stanislaus, sergeant in the Defence Department, for whom Mr. P. W. Jackson appeared, was charged with being found on licensed premises after siosing hours. Sergeant Martin stated that on April 13, at 7.53 p.m., he was walking up Cuba (Street, and when about ten or twelve yards from the Masonic Hotel he saw defendant and another enter the hotel. Witness followed and saw the defendant sitting on a chair close lo the oflice. Sergeant-Major Gardner, the other man, was sitting opposite. The dining-room, which was near, was wide open and lit up, and two or three persons were inside. Ho asked the defendant where he lived, and was told nt tho Bristol Private Hotel. The defendant stated that ho had come in as the guest of tho sergeantmajor. Tho latter had by this time gone into the dining-room, and witness went to interview him. Witness later examined the hotel book and. fonnd the defendant's name there, apparently a revent entry. It was the last in the book. \Vhen he examined the book the next day lie saw that lis. lid. had been entered against the name. The Defence Department had given a satisfactory explanation for Sergeant-Major Gardner. The defendant in giving evidence said lie was in the company of the sergeantmajor from 5 p.m. Thoy went to Hnlaitai to see some friends, and they return--«l to the Grand Opera House sooYi after 7.30 p.m., where I hoy left their friends, who were going to the tj ie^ ,re - Ho and the sergeant-major walked up Cuba Street, and at the suggestion of the latter he went to the Masonic Hotel for o meal, having had nothing to eat all the afternoon. He k'W w he could get nothing at the Bristol because the din-ing-room was closed after i p.m. .. Tho Magistrate was not satisfied with the evidence given und .convicted and tiued tho defendant 205., with costs las.