FORMING A GUN CLUB

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 156, 22 September 1927, Page 14

FORMING A GUN CLUB

DISCUSSION AFTER HOURS COUNTRY HOTEL RAIDED PUKEKOHE, To-day. As a sequel to a police raid on the Patumahoe Hotel on September 3, Ernest M. Armstrong, Charles McCormick, William VcNeil, James McCormick, John Jones, Percy Frederick Parris, and John William Rack appeared in . the Pukekohe Magistrate’s Court yesterday charged before Mr. J H. Salmon, S.M., with having been found on licensed premises after closing hours. Defendants, who were represented by Mr. E. G. Foster, pleaded not guilty. The licencee, Adolph Parris, who was charged with having sold liquor after hours, exposed liquor for sale, and kept his premises open for a sale, also pleaded not guilty. Police evidence showed that all the accused, with the exception of McNeil

and Rack, were in a private bar when the police arrived at 10.20 p..m. Empty glasses were lying on the counter, as was the sum of 3s 6d. The former two accused entered after the police. The defence alleged that they had been invited into the bar by the licensee to discuss gun cluo matters, they having proceeded from Pukekohe to attend a meeting of the Mauku Atnletic Club previously in the evening. Armstrong, McNeil, and C. McCormick were the first to be invited in, and the others followed at the owner's request. Only the former trio had consumed any liquor. The licencee, Parris, was about to treat the party of seven when the police arrived. The 3s 6d had been offered by C. McCormick, but had been refused.

The magistrate dismissed the charge of selling Liquor, but convicted the licensee for having exposed the same for sale and keeping the bar open, and fined him £ 5 and £ 3 respectively, with costs. Each of the seven other defendants were convicted and fined £l.

The suppression of names was refused.