SLY GROG-SELLING AT TUAPEKA.

Evening Star, Issue 3705, 7 January 1875, Page 3

SLY GROG-SELLING AT TUAPEKA.

“Lumb superseded.” The Government have succeeded in obtaining proper informers in the persons of so-called “new chums.” named Ritchie and Nichol, who managed to bring home several cases of sly grog-selling before the Resident Magistrate on Monday "last. Two charges against two different parties, and one against a Chinaman, were all clearly proved, and the revenue augmented by the sum of LllO, less one moiety which goes to the informers. When one of the latter individuals was questioned as to his sobriety after drinking so much, ho remarked that a gallon of such ale would have little effect upon him. _ Mr M‘Coy, in each case, raised a very ingenious defence. In Clymer’s case, it appeared that the two revenue officers had stopped all night at his place, and in the morning asked for and were supplied with two pints of ale, the informant paying one shilling for it. They had three or four meals, and each a bed ; on going away they were not charged for their beds, and the defence was that the beer was given away, it being Christmas time, and not sold ; and the shilling said to be paid for it was in reality paid for the bed, as was corroborated by the bed not being charged for when they left. This defence would not do, however, and the accused was fined L3O, and costs, or two months’ hard labor, it being his second offence. In Kilner’s case the defence was that the ale supplied was not the ale of commerce, but a statutory production, and therefore the Act would have to he looked at closely to see the nature of the compound ; the words, “or other intoxicating drink” implied that it must be an intoxicating drink, which the evidence showed it was not. The defence was unavailing, and the accused was fined L2(l and costs, or two months in gaol. To a second charge he pleaded guilty, and was fined L2O and costs, or two months’- hard labor. Kou Kai, a Chinaman, was also fined L2O. The “make-up” of these informers would have been a credit to the detective force, but for one thing: while their outer garments were greasy and frowsy, and their shirts crumpled and worn as if they had been slept in for a fortnight, their hair was neatly laid, and not at all in keeping with their dress. This defect in the “ get-up ” does not appear, however, to have aroused the suspicions of the gnilty parties, for they were caught in their own traps and have got their deserts.— ‘ Tuapeka Times.’