IMPORTANT DECISION.

Poverty Bay Standard, Volume XI, Issue 1261, 29 January 1883, Page 2

IMPORTANT DECISION.

A case, which may be of interest to some of the Gisborne merchants, was heard at the Dunedin Police Court, on Tuesday last:— William Tizsard was ,charged with having wilfully and unlawfully exposed for thesale of alcoholic liquor in the Panama Hotel, he not being u person duly licensed under the Act. Mr Stout appeared for the defendant, and Inspector Weldon conduoted the prosecution. Sergeant Livingtone stated : That on the 16th, while in the hotel, defendant stated in reply to questions that he had been put there by Maurice Joel, and did not deny that he sold drink, which was exposed to view behind the bar. Catherine Hunter, licensee of the Panama Hotel, stated that Maurice Joel had taken possession of the hotel on the 15th November. Defendant had been put into the house by Mr Joel, and sold liquor while in the hotel. Witness did not authorise him to sell liquor. Air stout contended that the case would have to fall through, as there was no evidence to shew that defendant had exposed the liquor for sale. He had beeu put tbero simply as a bailiff by Mr Joel, who had a bill uf sale over the premises. He was not charged with selling liquor, and if ho was, he (Mr Stout) would have an answer to that. There was, of course, liquor exposed iu the house, but it bad been put there by the licensee.

His Worship upheld Mr Stouts argu meut.

Mr Weldon said the defendant was put in lhe bar, and was iu -he habit of selling” and exposing it for sale. His Worship said that there might be evidence of a sale, but there was nothing to show that defendant had exposed the liquor for sale, and the case would therefore be dismissed.