LUNCHEON FOR MONTY WAS INDICTABLE CHARGE

Rotorua Morning Post, Issue 5310, 24 January 1947, Page 3

LUNCHEON FOR MONTY WAS INDICTABLE CHARGE

HOW DID CATERERS SUPPLY FOUR-COURSE MSNER. The menu card of the four-course civic luncheon at Poi*tsmouth last J-uly to Field Marshal Lord Montgomery was an exhibit at Portsmouth Mag-istrate's Court.

There the case was heard against a too-hos'pitahle lord mayor of the city, | who was summoned for a hreach of the food regulations. But the secret of who "gave it away" remained a secret throughout the six-hour hearing. Alderman Albert Allaway, who was Lord Mayor of Portsmouth when J "Monty" paid his visit, was held to j have aided ar.d abetted; the caterers j in serving biscuits and cheese as well j as soup, chicken and sweets. j But the magistrates held that there were speeial circumstances in the case and that thei'e were good reasons for not imposing a fine. They found the case proved and dismissed. They also held that there were good reasons for not imposing the maxinium fine on the caterers, F-male and Son, Ltd., and the managing director, Charles Henry Smale. The company was fined £5, with £5 costs, and Mr. Smale £2.

The tiny court ' room— part of a former catering estahlishment on the seafront — was crowded. The hunt for the name of the informer began when Divisional-Inspec-tor Metcalfe, of the Ministry of Food, was giving evidence. He told Mr. Bray, counsel for Smale, that he did not think the prosecution was the result of enmity of competitors because the firm sold cheap meals. Mr. Bray: Did the information leading to the prosecution come from a servant cf the corporation? Mr. B. M. Stephenson, who_prosecuted: Do not answer.