SLY GROG SELLER GAOLED

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 731, 2 August 1929, Page 1

SLY GROG SELLER GAOLED

Two Others Fined £SO Each

RAID ON HOBSON ST. SHOPS

rIREE shop-keepers pleaded guilty at the Police Court this morning on charges of sly grog-selling. John Francis Davis, it second offender, was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment and the other two were each fined £SO, in default two months’ imprisonment.

The charges followed the investigations of the police and a three-fold raid last Saturday evening when nearly 300 bottles of beer were seized, in adidtion to stout, whisky and cocktails.

Mr. F. K. Hunt. S.M., was of til

opinion that the charges were very serious. Imposing the penalties, he said that the public considered the licensees were responsible for the after-hour trading, and that it was put down to laxity on the part of both police and publican. There were four charges of sly against Conrad Beasley: four against William Henry Buckley and three against John Francis Davis. Beasley’s case was called first, and Mr. Singer entered a plea of not guilty. According to Sub-Inspector McCarthy they were ordinary charges brought under section 195 of the Licensing Act. "Beasley had a little fruit shop at 105 Hobson Street.” continued the subinspector. “It was plain that liquor was being sold somewhere in tho vicinity, and constables had visited the shop and bought liquor in it. When the shop had been raided, the .sergeant had found bottles of beer and stout on the premises. Constable Pretious detailed visits he had made to the shop on July 8, 9, 16 and 20. He had been taken with other men Into an inner room, where there was a table. Glasses had been supplied and the beer drunk in the room. Witness had bought other bottles and taken them away. Constable Peterson visited the shop on July 16. He had counted five men and three women drinking on the premises while he was there. Witness had visited the shop with Constable Pretious four days later. At this stage Mr. Singer changed his plea to guilty. “Beasley has been only four months in these premises, and previously held a good record,” said counsel. “He has three children and his wife died on July 24.” Mr. Singer asked for the imposition of as light a penalty as possible in view of Beasley’s responsibilities. On behalf of Buckley. Mr. Singer also pleaded guilty. “This case is almost on fours with the other,” commented the sub-inspector. “The shop is situated at 232 Hobson Street. T’he centre of gravity of this trade has shifted to Hobson Street from Grey’s Avenue. The position, is serious and

the men are doing an enormous trade. There were 22 dozen bottles of beer in Buckley’s place and there was also a bottle of cocktail. I don’t wish to ask your Worship to be severe, but this has got to be stopped. It is only three months since the last lot was fined and it seems to have been no deterrent. The men do an enormous trade and make an enormous profit selling the beer at a shilling a bottle. They commit the offences with their eyes open. Mr. Singer said that Buckle}' w-as a young man whose wife had been sick for some time. He asked the magistrate to take into consideration the fact that defendant had lost the money for the 22 dozen bottles. Davis, on whose behalf Mr. Singer also pleaded guilty, was said by the sub-inspector to have been fined for a similar offence In Grey’s Avenue only a few mouths ago. His house had then been set up as a bar. “He got consideration then on account of his health,” said the sub-inspector. “He was fined £25, and I doubt whether the amount is all paid yet. Immediately after, he shifted to Hobson Street, where the circumstances had been reported as suspicious as before.” The sub-inspector pointed out the difficulty the police had in secui’lng evidence in such cases. Mr. Singer assured the court that Davis’s last fine was paid. The man suffered from miners’ complaint and was doing only a small business. The Slb-Inspector: Bottles of beer were found in all sorts of hiding places. Every article of clothing in the place had a bottle in the pockets or in the sleeves. Default of the fines was fixed at two months’ imprisonment, and the men were given seven days In which to find the money.