MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Hokitika Guardian, 30 August 1923, Page 3

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

THURSDAY’. AUGUST 30th. (Before Wlll Meld ruin. Esq., S.M.) DEFENCE ACT. L. Jones was charged with failure t< attend parade. Evidence was given I ; Stalf-Seigt. .Major Jordan of failure o defendant to parade. Filled 10s an: costs 7s. CYCLING REGULATIONS. C. Evans, charged with riding a hi cycle on a footpath in Stafford Street was lined 20s and costs 7s.

Thus. Robinson, was charged w ith riding a. bicycle ~; n Gibson Guay at nignt. Defendant explained that the light Had been burning a lew minutes before. Fined 5s and costs 7s. LICENSING ACT.

A Iceal re.-id .lit, charged with being on licensed premises (Post Office Hotel) after hours did n»t appear and was fined 2Qs and costs 7s.

Two men were charged with being in the Commercial Hotel alter hour.-. One pleaded not guilty, and the other did not appear. After hearing Constable Best and one defendant the latter's caste was dismissed and the non attemV'i.' was lined 20< and cuds 7s.

Two men eiiaiged with I icing in tbo M asonie Hotel alter hours did not appear. one a!-n being charged with oeilig found drunk in Weld Street. One was ordered to pay costs 7s. and the other to pay 5s fine and costs L-ls, Another offender at .Masonic Hotel similarly charged was ordered to pay costs 7s

I). I’. .McC'aski'l (Mr Murdoch) was charged with a -broach of prohibition order, being on licensed promises alter hours, mid with breach of probation order thereby. After hearing defendant and a fiieiid. who had invited the former into the hotel for dinner, nis Worship said he would not treat it as a si rious offence. A fine ol is and costs 7s was inflicted in one charge and convictions without costs on the other two charges. WANDERING CATTLE.

The Rolling'll Inspector, ./. Fox 'Air 11. Park' charged Al. Cnnimly, with ; Ilowiug a cow to wander. Fined 10s ami costs 17s (id. DEBT CASES

( . Evans V. T. .Mills, claim £2 10s. Judgment by default with costs 12s. Scott (Air .Murdoch) v. R. Cochrane claim .CL Judgment for plaintiff witn costs 23s (id. defended case. The police charged Aliehnel Keenan (Air Alurdoelil licensee Royal Mail Hotel, Woodstock, with failuic to admit tl:e police and with 1 b-Lnieting the police in Cv carrying out ol their duties. A plea of not guilty was entered. Sc.gl. King eondui led tile eu-e.

Constable Drummon.l gave evident e that on Ith. August, lie visited ’lie Royal Mail Hotel arriving about- 19.20 p. 111 . Tried three doors and found all locked. ( oi.-hl hear men's voices in the

sitting room. I.uokc.l through a hack wind w and saw a man (nine trom Ibe direction of the bar with a tray ot gla—es. Wailed for about half an hour outside. Then heard men s toutsteps coming from tile direct inn ol the sitting room and go outside. Several men came outside and .shoitly alter went, -hack again. Went to the. tank ilnor and wailed outside tor a further half hour, when the dour was agau; opened. Struck mulches and lecogni--ed Keenan coming out. As innii as

he saw witness he put out Ids 'inns across the door and barred the way. Witness said “Police here, Air Keenan. let me in.” Witness tried to get in nut Keenan would lint, lot him pass;. There were three men standing mliind Mr Keenan, all wearing toils. Keenan -aid: ‘I am not going to let ion in hcie. I Ins is my wiles bedroom.” Wane - "a.- at the back dour at the lime. While speaking to Keenan the other men disappeared towards the -it ting renin, and he could not state u fin 1 hc\ weii', a- the light was rather pop inside the rnoiii mid witness was. outside. After the mi'll had ilisnpponred Air Keenan stood aside and let witness pass in. Found in the sitting room two men who were boarders ; ml also Airs Keenan and another woman. Could not see any traces ot tin' utliei men. Witness was delayed ciuisidei'- |,| v at the dour, giving the men ample Lime lo get out, ef Die premises, lie could noi say definitely that the men behind Keenan at the dunr were not the men in the sitting loom, lie counted three men besides Keenan al the dunr.

To Mr Murdoch--When ho bean’, voices it was nearly an hour hclore Keenmi came to the door. Could not .-,iy whose voices lie heard. There were four entrances to the hotel, besides, (lie door to the bedroom, lie had '"me to the conclusion that there weie more vui<es than those of the three men be t< Ml lid on the 1 remises.

Hi s Worship: The Constable had no light to demand admission under the

||i- Worship said he did not think there was sufficient- ovidciwo to warrum calling on the defence. The licensee was entitled to bar the vay into bis wife’s bed room, though the ('oustalile did not know it was it bod--I,mm at the The ease would be ( dismissed. A KOKAT.UII CASK The Relive charged Aiaiy Gntliam (licensee of Is ngl'oid Hotel, with expcing liquor and keeping open tor ( !-. S i| o of liquor during prohibited niics ,;n 21-1. July. Mr Murdoch appealed for the defendant and pleaded not guilty. Constable Drummond gave evidence hours on 21st. July. Mr Murdoch iptlq. Longford hotel. Saw a- door leading from a passage into the bin open. There was a light in the In"'- AAibian. Graham wits behind the bar and three men (and a boarder) were in trout of the bar. Two men (brothers) said they had come in for tea and had ecu Schist in the bar and had gone in to discus' foot-ball with tlie boarder, lucre were three glasses on the counter turned upside down, and other sign- "i liquor. The two men denied having hsul any drink. The full contents ot the Imr were fully exposed to iho.-o i„ the- bar. Mr Graham said he had not- served liny liquor. The door was wide open. •p, ( Air Alnrdocli—Graham stated the door was difficult to close. To the Bench The bar lmd not been wiped down and the counter was wet. This was the ease for the police. Air Mill-do b led evidence as follows; William John Graham deposed he was the -on of the licensee. He usually cleaned up the liar. After the tootball watch he w; s cleaning up the bar when Schist a boaider came in. He was drying glasse- alter (i o'clock. . The I mothers Morel came in and saw Schist the liar and the constable- came m just behind. The lock of the bar door was damaged and difficult to .dose. -I nere was'no time to get the nun out before the Constable came in. Las j just finishing cleaning up when Schist

came in. To So rat. King.—He bad the oar closed at t, o’clock. He si,tit the cioor I,uc did not lock it as be could not lock it. The constable came in before he had time to tell the two men to go out of the bar. The Alagistrate said there must he an intention to have a sale in view at least. Tito licensee’s son was onl\ doing his duty in clearing up and there did not appear to have been any intention of effecting a sale. It was n r,t suggested even by the Constable

that such was tho case. Both eases would he dismissed. A FTERXOON SITTING. The Court adjourned at 1 p.m. and resumed at 2 p.m. The Police charged John Morgan (Air Murdoch) being licensee of the Afasonie Hotel, with exposing liquor for sale alter hours and Alary Morgan with unlawfully selling liquor after hours, on 1 s tli Aug.

Const.'ilile Best gave evidence that he visited the Masonic Hotel on ISt li Aug. Saw two men at the bar slide, which was open over a foot. Saw Airs Aforgan in the bar. Also saw part of counter, with a big barrel on it. The light from the street was sufficient to see tilings in the bar. The men had a glass each, one a shandy, the other a squash and lemonade. The men and Airs .Morgan each said Airs Morgan had shouted for them. To Air .Murdoch.—Did not see the liquor handed out. Tins slitlo was up a full twelve inches. Did not see ATr .Morgan in the bar. John Joseph .Morgan (licensee) gave evidence that lie was in the bar on the evening in question, attending to requirements. The liar doors were locked. His wife knocked and witness let her in the slide. She said she warned to shout fur two friends. Witness supplied the (wo diinks to the men. opening Ihe slide about, six inches. The constable came in shortly afterwards. Witness did not expose honor for sale. To Sergt. King.-—Did not hear the constable coming in. He did not see the constable till he knocked. Did not speak lo him though witness was behind the bar at the time. Did not invite the men to conic lo the hotel. Alary .Morgan gave evidence that her husband supplied the two men with drinks, at her request for him to shout for them. There was no intention of a sale. She had I wen talking to the men and asked them to have a drink. Her husband served them.

ilis Worship said ii appeared the Duly question lie had to decide was whether the two men were “shouted" for. It seemed to him that it was a genuine gift. The licensee had only shortly ennie into possession, and il was only natural that lie should endeavour ti make himself popular. The only reason why tin* slide was oni'ii was to supply what was a gift. Each of the eases would lie dismissed. (Left Sitting).