LIQUOR FOR NATIVES

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 849, 18 December 1929, Page 7

LIQUOR FOR NATIVES

•pvo MEN FINED AT PUKEKOHE OTHER CASES DISMISSED from Our Own Correspondent PUKEKOHE, Today, r ••The court has to draw the most Innocent interpretation,” said Mr. E. SiT Cut ten. S.M.. in the Puk'kche Police Court yesterday. when dismissing charges against .1. T. Balle for supplying liquor to a Maori for consumption off licensed premises, and Tom Tuhi for aiding and abetting. Through Mr. E. G. Foster both pleaded not guilty. Police evidence showe.* that Tuhi ■was seen leaving the rear of the Pukekohe Hotel with a parcel beneath his € oat and upon being accosted said he was looking after it for Balle. The latter stated he gave it to Tuhi to carry to a taxi waiting for him. Tuhi and the parcel of beer were taken to the police station, and when Balle subsequently appeared to demand the liquor he was arrested for d run ken - ness. Both charges were dismissed by .he j magistrate. In outlining the police ''•ase in two similar prosecutions. Sergeant Campas nolo said the police were experiencing great difficulty witii >lie Maoris at Pukekohe. I hey were procuring liquor after hours, not from the hotels put from Europeans. S. Webb and H. Tiouna were charged with supplying liquor to natives for consumption oil licensed premises and aiding and abetting. A constable observing a bottle of whisky protruding from Tipuna’s pocket approached him, and was tolci that he was looking after it for a friend, whose name he would not furnish. Later in the evening he saw ;Webh speaking to Tipuna, the latter admitting Webb to be his friend. Webb said he had a bottle of whisky- in his bag. but denied giving it to his Maori companion. Webb deposed that he left the whisky together with beer in a bag While he entered a fish shop. The native Tipuna gave evidence that, he removed the whisky rfs he was afraid that other natives might steal it. Mr. Cutten held that the defendants’ fciories were unsatisfactory. He fined #ach £ 1 with costs 12s.