MAGISTRATE'S COURT

Hokitika Guardian, 19 October 1933, Page 4

MAGISTRATE'S COURT

HOKITIKA BUSINESS TO-DAY. BREACHES OF LICENSING ACT. Cases before Mr W. Mel drum, S.M„ •were dealt with }n the Hokitika- Magistrate’s Court th’s morning as follow: JUDGMENT BY DEFAULT. Judgment for plaintiff by default was given in the case of the Commissioner of Taxes v. Ross C O -°p. Saleyards Ltd., £3 19s 7d and co s ts. ON LICENSED PREMISES. Two men were charged with being found on the premises of the Dominion Hotel after hours.

Neither appeared and after evidence ,by Constable P. D. Dougherty, e ach \were convicted . and <Qrdei}sd to pay costs.

Eotir others were charged with being found in the Pioneer Hotel after hours. •Sergeant C. J. King said he found defendants on the premises, none having any valid excuse to offer. E a, ch was convicted .and ordered to .pay cos’s, one defendant, who wa s ■ before the court last day, on a si m Lar charge, being fined £l. Five men found on the premises of the Post Office Hotel after haul’s on September 30, were charged in Court to-day. Four of the defendants appeared and pleaded not guilty. Constable Dougherty said he was admitted to the hotel and, approaching the bar parlour, he saw one defendant ascending the stairs, the latter saying he had come to make arrangements for accommodation, but was unable to do so. A second defendant said it was usual for him to have a- cup of tea at that hour at the hotel, was his reason for being there, but the ,barman later denied this. A third had come for an overcoat, while the fourth said he was going to stay the night. “I asked him if he were prepared to stop at any hotel where he was caught, ar_d he admitted that was so.” The fifth, who did not appeatr, s a id witness, pleaded that he was there at the invitation of one of the others. There was no drink in sight. Each of the five was convicted and ordered to pay costs. The Post Office Hotel was the scene of another coup on October 9, when eight men were found on the premises, and they were charged in Court this morning, none of whom appeared. Sergeant King said that at 11 p.m. he visited the hotel and found the defendants on. the premises, some with liquor, .which the barman admitted selling. The licensee;'was not present. Each defendant was convicted and ordered to pay costs, one being fined £2, and one £l. The licensee of the Post Office 'Hotel, Hugh Steel, was charged with selling liquor after hours on October 9, and with opening the premises *f £ er hours. In conjunction with these charges, Joseph Hopkins, barman, was charged with unlawfully supplying liquor after •hours.

■■Neither defendant appeared. The evidence was the same as that given in the previous case. Steel was fined £2 and costs for selling the other charge being withdrawn.

Hopkins was fined £1 and costs. BREACH OF FISHERIES ACT,

The inspector of Fisheries (Sergeant C. J. King), proceeded against George Biddington, on charges of using a set Jr.et within two chains of another set net, and with constructing a trench in a position not approved. The case was adjourned to November 5. BY-LAWS BROKEN. For riding a cycle on the footpath, Max Singer was fined 5s and costs. R. Gumming, charged with driving a car at a dangerous speed, pleaded not guilty. The Borough Inspector (Mr W. E. Oaylor), said that the car passed him at about 28 m.p.li., and crossed over an intersection without diminishing its speed whatever. Defendant said he would be doing no more than 25 m.p.li., when he passed the inspector, and he slowed down to 20 m.p.li. when approaching the intersection. He did not agree with Mr Gaylor that there was any other traffic about. The Magistrate dismissed the charge.