HObson Street Sly-Grog Dealer Fined £40

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 59, 1 June 1927, Page 9

HObson Street Sly-Grog Dealer Fined £4O

SEQUEL TO POLICE RAID

A BOU ® ‘ J clock last Friday night a tttxi drove up to the f* door ot 1 eter Urlich’s restaurant at 98, Hobson street. A e " minutes later, several men emerged carrying heavy catted a musical tinkle that might have been aused bj glass. The men climbed in with their burdens ttncl the taxi drove away.

T HIS incident on Friday night, explained the presence of Peter Urlich, who is a Dalmatian, in the Police Court this morning. The men in the taxi were police officers and the cases they carried off with them were cases of beer. Chief-Detective Cummings told the court that there had been a good deal ol’ sly-grog selling going on in the locality since Easter. He produced evidence to show that between April 13 and May 23, Urlich purchased three lots of beer—3l dozen in all —under the name of “Mitchell.” He retailed the beer at a profit of 4d a bottle, Mr. Cummings said. It was the fact of his having retailed two bottles to a constable on two separate occasions that led to the raid.

Mr. Singer, who appeared for Urlich, suggested that it was not a very bad case. He had only purchased two lots of beer, and not three, as the police evidence stated. He had been in New Zealand for 22 years and there was nothing else against him. Most of his last order of liquor had been seized by the police so that his business could not have been very large, Mr. Singer, and he asked for leniecy. Mr. W. R. McKean, S.M., pointed out that the Dalmatian was liable to a £SO fine or a month. “I won’t send him to prison,” added the Magistrate. “He will be fined £2O on each charge.” An order was made for the liquor seized to be forfeited to the Crown, and—sold.