EIGHT MEN HIDDEN IN BATHROOM

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 151, 22 March 1939, Page 13

EIGHT MEN HIDDEN IN BATHROOM

Hotel Porter Convicted

GUILTY OF OBSTRUCTING POLICE An hotel employee who hid eight men in a bathroom when police were inspecting the hotel was held yesterday by Mr. J. H. Luxford, S.M., in the Magistrates’ Court, Wellington, to have wilfully obstructed a constable in the execution of his duty. Stanley Carter, porter was fined £6 and ordered to pay court costs. Suspecting that persons were unlawfully in the Gresham Hotel, a sergeant decided to inspect it with two other police officers, at 9 p.m. on December 9. The sergeant led a party consisting of the constables, defendant and the 'licensee’s wife to the door of the room into which he had seen defendant show several men. The door was locked. The licensee’s wife explained that it was a bathroom under repair and defendant explained that there was no key to the door. One of the constables looked through the fan-light and saw the men inside. The sergeant ordered the men to unlock the door and come out and the licensee’s wife repeated the request. An inside bolt was withdrawn and eight men emerged. Defendant’s explanation was that he knew the police were on the premises and he put them into the bathroom out of the way to hide them.