MAGISTRATE’S COURT

Hokitika Guardian, 29 January 1920, Page 3

MAGISTRATE’S COURT

THURSDAY, JAN. 29tli

(Before E. C. Levvey Esq., S-M.) AFTERNOON SITTING.

The Court resumed at 2.15 p.m. LICENSING ACT. The police charged a local resident with being found on licensed premises, I I (Occidental Hotel), on Dec. 17th. durj ing prohibited hours. Defendant plead ed not guilty. Constable Quinn gave | evidence that defendant came out- of , the back entrance and ducked into tbe | right of way and got away pretty quickI lv. Constable Flewellyn gave siipi porting evidence. Defendant hurried ! round the corner. He did not exactly [ run away. Defendant gave evidence that he did not know that it was two constables that came along. His Wor- 1 ship said he would convict but would not inflict the full penalty. He would be fined 20s and costs 10s, and gave a warning to be careful in future. 1 The police charged John V. Hall, licensee of the Occidental Hotel with, on Jan Bth allowing liquor to be consumed during prohibited hours; with allowing liquor to be exposed for sale; and further with selling liquor during proliibit!ed hours. Defendant pleaded not guilty . 1 Sergt McCarthy stated on Sunday Jan Bth about 4.50 p.m. he went to the Occidental Hotel. Was informed the licensee was out. Tbe wife of tbe licensee was in the passage. Heard a, noise in bar and asked to be admitted to bar, and’found in the bar two men at tbe counter, one. with a glass of beer, and Mrs Shadbolt behind the bar wiping a glass. Mrs Shadbolt stated she liad shouted for the. men as her husband was taking over the hotel. The men said Mrs Shadbolt bad shouted for them. At this stage bis Worship stated that there were several questions of law involved and as defendant could not properly hear,, he would adjourn: the hearing to enable defendant to seR i.ro counsel as lie was not represented at the sitting. Heal ing accordingly adjourned till next sitting. ■ The fixing of the penalty against G. Shadbolt was also adjourned.

A r im inun The police charged A. Cowie licensee of the Post Office Hotel, with supplying liquor after hours, and two men with being on licensed premises after hours Mr Murdoch appeared for Harding and 1 Cowie, a plea of not guilty being enter--1 ed by each defendant. I Constable Quinn deposed with Serg McCarthy he visited the Post Office hotel on'the 17th at 10.15 P-iu., and found the licensee and two men in a hoi parlour across the passage from tho bar. They stated that the licensee had invited them in to have a drink and they had had itTo Air Murdoch : Could not say whether or not- a notice ‘private” is on the’door off this parlour. Did not. see any sandwiches in the room It "as the licensee who first said that the men had been invited in and the man endorsed this, Sei'gt McCarthy fta.ve evidence that, lm went into the Post, Office Hotel by

the side door about i- '"; aloncr the passage towards the bar. )e licensee came out of a ' side room that was lighted up. Found two men >" the room. Asked what they were doing the licensee replied that he had invited them in, and had shouted for them. To Air Aturdoch: The licensee gave his reply quickly; tie thought if was suspiciously quick. The men gave their proper names. Ho asked Constable Quinn if ho knew them and lie said yes. He had found it a necessary precaution to take here. Mr Murdoch for the defence held that the licensee had a perfect right to entertain a guest. Alexander Cowie gave evidence that lie was licensee of the Post Office Hotel. Ho remembered Sergt McCarthy and Constable Quinn coming in. The two men mentioned wore in the pallor at the time. The door of the parlor was marked private. It was his private parlor. There was a plate in the room with some, sandwiches, and two empty glasses oil the table. He supplied them. AVitness was outside the hotel when the two men carno along, and- ho invited them to come along. He had known the men for years. No money had passed, (Left sitting),