SALE OF LIQUOR

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 86, 2 December 1931, Page 6

SALE OF LIQUOR

YOUNG MAORI CHILDREN SUPPLIED WITH. BEER © TOKAANU LICENSEE CHARGED A number of charges arising out of alleged breaches of the Licensing Act and its provMons in respect of the sale of liquor to Maorig, was heard in the Taupo Magistrate's Court last week before Mr. S. L. Paterson, S.M. A number of the charges concerned the supplying of liquor to Maori children between the ages of 12 and 15 years, and two Maori girls 16 years of age. The licensee of the Tokaanu hotel, Annie Jones. was charged on two counts with selling liquor at a time when the hotel was required to be closed, and with supplying natives with liquor withina proclaimed area. This defendant, who was defended by Mr. E. H. Northcroft, of Auckland pleaded not guilty. After hearing evidence, the magistrate found that there was not sufficient to show that the licensee had actually handled the liquor . and the charges were dismissed. Arising out of the same case, a Maori named Peter Hura was charged with supplying liquor to one Johnny Heu Heu and was fined £2 with 15/- costs. In connection with these cases, Senior Sergeant Carrol, who appeared for the police, stated that two five gallon kegs of beer had been consumed by nativfes in the vicinity of Waihi. One keg had been taken to a dance hall and the other had subsequently been taken to the house of a man named Duff where -a number of children and two Maori girls 16 years of age, had drunk quantities of the liquor. It was alleged that Hura had obtained the liquor and had transferred it to Duff. In this connection, a man named Hawkins Granville Duff, was charged on five counts with supplying Maori children between the ages of 12 and 15 years with liquor and with supplying two Maori girls 16 years of age. Duff who was represented by Mr. J. R. L. Lochhead, pleaded not guilty, but after hearing evidence, the Magistrate entered convictions on all five charges. Evidence was given by several children that they had drunk quantities of the beer and that in some instances they had been under its influence. The two older girls denied having taken liquor or seeing it in the house. Duff was fined £1 with costs on each charge.