SALE OF LIQUOR

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 667, 20 October 1933, Page 6

SALE OF LIQUOR

AFTER HOUR TRADING LICENSEE OF LAKE HOUSE^'1 AND SEVERAL MEN CHARGED WAITING FOR W1RJESTLER iPromlised an dntroduction to a visiting wrestler, Hal Rumfoerg, on Sunday, October 1, a number of men deeided t0 await his arrival at the Lake House Hotel by partaking of drinksj and lunch, with a result that •wben ia raid was made by the police they were discovered on the premises and togetber with the licensee, E. G. Fraser and two barmen, Hugh Smith and Gharles D. Varnham, appeared before Mr. S. L. Paterson, S.M., in the Rotorua Magistrate's Couilt yesterday morning on charges under the Licensing Act. The licensee, and the two barmen were charged' with seiling liquor after hours, two otber chang'es, of exposing liquor for sale and seiling during closed hours being withdrawn by the police. Senior-Sergeant E. J. Carroll said that accompanied by Constaible A. Andrew he had visited Lake House Hotel on Sunday October 1 and found several men drt the lobby and in the •small parlour drinking. The licensee was not present at the time and on a message being sent to him he hadexpressed his regret for the oecurrence. The majority of the men had come into Rotorua on the Saturday from Ithe forestry work to attend a wrestling bout and had deeided to spend the morning and have lunch at the hotel. However as far as was known they were all first offenders and had voluntarily called at the police ©tation for th'eir &umlmons before going back to1 work in order to avoid trouble in their being served by Ithe police. There had been, no Miaoris on the premises and the licensee had not previously been in similar trouble. The senior-sergeant submitted, however, that there was a, tendiency to leave to0 much to the barmen and that more care should be taken by licensees to see Ifchat the provisions of the Act were carried out. Appearing for the licensee and the two, barmen, Mr. E. Ro© submiitted thiat it was unreasonable to contendthat the licensee should always be in the bar as he had many otber dulties. The fact that there were two barmien in th© bar at the time did not mean that heavy business was expected, one having been employed temporarily for the purpose of stock-taking, allthough he had served sorne of the men with liquor. The fact that no Maoris were on the premises showed that the hotel was not being run on bad lines and was worthy of considera.tion. S-ome of the men had wanted to meet Hal Rumjberg, the visiting wrestler wh0 was 'sltayinig at the hotel and as he was out at the time d'ecided to wait for lunch and have a few drinks. The licensee had been in the hotel business for five or six year° and hlad not previously been convicted. Stating that the offence did not

seeml a particularly serious one, and thalt apparently the visit of the wrestler was the reason for the presence of the men, the magistrate inflicted a fine of £2 with costs each on the charges" agiainst the licensee and the two barmen. Found on Premises On charges of being found on licensed premises during closing hours five relief workers, Arthur Hall, Bregnan Seddon, Yalentine C. Gray, Alexr ander Coutts, Ronald C. Gardiner and Thomas Tairoa were each fined 10 s and eosifcs and Gordon Eelly, James Edwards, Thomas Barrett, B. Green and John MicGhee, £1 and costs.