LIQUOR AFTER HOURS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, 8 December 1927, Page 6

LIQUOR AFTER HOURS

SYSTEMATIC SALE BY HOTEL. ENTRANCE NEXT DOOR. Dunedin, December 6. “This is one of the worst cases I have known. The offence was carried out systematically by the licensee and his wife, two scouts being placed in the street to inform ’he licensee of the approach of a constable.” Sub-luspector Fahey made the foregoing remark in the Police Court when Donald Hutcheon. licensee of the Victoria Hotel, was charged with having kept his licensed premises open after hours for the safe of liquor, and also with having sold liquor after hours. The sub-inspector said that in consequence of complaints concerning the conduct of the hotel, it had been kept under observation. A small cottage adjoined the hotel, and on the night of November 12. Sergeants Turner and Dunlop and Constable Potts/ keeping a watch on the other side of the road, saw 29 men admitted to the cottage and thence to the hotel. Of these 27 left with handbags or parcels which, it was inferred. contained beer After watching from 9.5 to 11 p.m. the officers went across to the door of the cottage and intercepted two men coming away. Each had a “blue Peter” full of beer. The men were taken back into the kitchen, from which a passage led to the bar of the hotel. There was no light in the bar. Two other men were found in the kitchen, one had three bottles of beer in his possession. Sergeant Dunlop, on going into the bar. found defendant there bv the pump, and there were two glasses of beer on the counter. The premises had been ‘watched previously, added the sub-inspector. On October 29 twenty-one men entered tile cottage between 9 p.m. and H p.m.. and left with handbags. On the night of October 30 eleven men had been seen entering and leaving. On November 3 one man went in at 9 ; 5 p.m. and came out again, and on November 4 seven men entered and left. Defendant was fined £lO for selling after hours, and his conviction was endorsed on his license.