POLICE RAIDS

Hokitika Guardian, 26 October 1929, Page 6

POLICE RAIDS

O’?.:' WELLINGTON CONYIGTIONS; fßy Telegraph—Per Press Association.) ! AVELINOToN, As; HcMiel oh ■ '[iyCMwtUMotel,/ |was charged with selling liquor after hours; aiding .apcP assist'irig others in the offence■ of being round on licensed premises?, after hours.; ' and failing to admit; the police without

I unnecessary delay. Informations', pf allowing liquor to be consumed, in the hotel after hours, exposiing liquor for sale after; hours and opening fox sale, after hours, were withdrawn. Barman Jock O’Brien had six informations preferred against him. Five were Withdrawn, , and he was only charged with' selling after hours. Sub-Inspector Lander, outlining the' .case, said, the police liact reason to believe, that', -the licensee had set himself out to carry on illegal trade by watching movements of the uni--1 Jpr in .police and on keeping watch they found- as, a fapt that trade was being carried oil, men being let in at a side Jdoor when all was clear. Some times' the'" licensee’ himself would- be out oil ih’e footpath, mingling v.ith other; men, and watching the police On the night of the raid, the licensee himself was letting men in’. Inspector Lander said the police knocked plainly for' twenty minutes. Eventually a. constable pushed open a balcony window.’ He, found the licensee, his wife and child in bed,.blit a torch showed that tTie rodm was full of men. The licensee in-ti noted the barman, who was also in the room, to go down and let the police in. The licensee tried to say he did pot know the police were Knocking, and tried • ’to 'shoulder all the blame on the barman. j Falkner was fined £lO for selling ] after hours, £5 for failing to admit the police, and £2 on the aiding charge.-.- :The first ~ two. convictions were endorsed on O’Brien was- fined £lO. , Fourteen men, who’ were on the premises,.; were each fined £2. On the same- night, Barrett’s. Hotel was ’visited.,,, by a police sergeant Seven men were found with glasses ( of liquor in front of them Mid could not satisfactorily explain their • pre- , sen eel .■, Each was fined £lO. Charges ( against the licensee and porter were ] adjourned for a week, the police not ] opposing the application. .