BENZINE, NOT BEER

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 455, 10 September 1928, Page 16

BENZINE, NOT BEER

MOTORIST VISITS HOTEL MAGISTRATE DISMISSES CHARGE (From Our Own Correspondent.) TE AWAMUTU, Sunday. A well-known resident of Te Awa* mutu, Guy Rodger, who went to an hotel bowser station for benzine, was charged at Te Awamutu with being on licensed premises after hours. The police said that Rodger was found in the Star Hotel at 8.30 p.m. on August 4. Rodger stated he had just gone to get some benzine. The landlord conducted a petrol-station a few yards from the hotel. Defendant said he had been out for a motor drive and when turning near the hotel the engine stopped. He got out and tapped the tank, and assuming he was short of benzine he went to the petrol station. No attendant being there he went to the hotel. He asked for a tin to get some petrol to enable him to get the car near the bowser station. The magistrate accepted the explanation. He said the evidence raised a difficult question. The fact that a publican could run a bowser station might lead to complications that the Licensing Committee would have to take cognisance of. It might result in a perfectly innocent person being charged with being illegally on licensed premises. A passing motorist might, on the other hand, if found on licensed premises, say that he merely wanted benzine. He would dismiss the information, but the police were quite right in bringing the case before the court.