SEQUEL TO RAIDS

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 979, 23 May 1930, Page 12

SEQUEL TO RAIDS

CONVICTIONS AGAINST SLY-GROGGERS POLICE CRITICISED The second batch of a number of sly-grogrgers, charged following extensive police raids last month, appeared at the Police Court this morning. Three men were fined £25 each, ajid a fourth, who was found to have nearly. 500 bottles of beer and stout in his possession. was remanded for sentence. From April 17 to the end of the month, Constables O’Carroll and Poll, on special duty, made a series of visits to shops and restaurants in Hobson Street, Victoria Street, and Symonds Street. Places where they had been supplied with liquor were later searched by a party headed by SeniorSergeant Flannigan, and the occupants charged./ William Buckley, occupier of a shop at 23*2 Hobson Street, pleaded guilty to the charge of selling beer without a licence, Sub-Inspector Shanahan said the two constables had visited the shop and purchased beer to take away. In the search, 457 bottles of beer and 25 bottles of stout had been found. Some of the liquor was stored in a neighbouring building, but Buckley had admitted that it was all his.

Buckley, who had previous convictions for the same offence, was remanded for sentence for 14 days so that inquiries could be made. MAKING ENDS MEET

The explanation that defendant was a sick man, having a hard struggle to make ends meet, was advanced by Mr. Sullivan, who pleaded guilty on behalf of Samuel Stevens. Stevens, the sub-inspector said, was conducting a confectioner’s business in conjunction with his wife. The constables had bought beer at the shop on two occasions. The search party had found ITS bottles of beer, half a bottle of whisky, and a bottle of wine. Senior-Sergeant Flannigan said defendant, as counsel had stated, was a sick man. He had been in the premises only three months, and was' waiting to so into hospital for an opera* tion.

Mr. Sullivan asked for leniency. Defendant had taken pity on the constables, who told him they were tired and hungry, and had come off a ship. The offence would not be repeated.

Stevens was fined £25, in default two months’ imprisonment. He was given 14 days in which to find the money. COUNSEL INDIGNANT Pleading guilty for Pat Sugrue, Mr. Sullivan severely criticised the methods of the police in obtaining evidence for a conviction in sly-grogging cases. “The constables urge men to give them drink,” he declared. “.English judges discountenance such practices.” The magistrate replied * that the methods followed were the only means of dealing with the serious problem of sly-grog shops. “I am always getting letters from women complaining that their husbands get drunk after hours rind on Sundays,” Mr. Hunt said. “They consider that the Licensing Act Is not being properly administered, but it is these shops that are responsible: Periodically we have a batch of the men up here. The last lot was about six months ago.” The sub-inspector said the constables had eaten supper at Sugrue’s restaurant and afterward asked for liquor which was supplied to them. . When Sugrue’s place was searched, only one five gallon jar of beer was found and the man said it was for the use of himself and his boarders. It was his first appearance before the court.

Mr. Sullivan asked for the imposition of the minimum penalty of £lO. There had been no flagrant breach of the law and Sugrue was a sick man as a medical certificate (produced) would show. He suffered from blood pressure and lapses of memory. Counsel challenged the police statement that Sugrue had. sold beer on previous occasions. It was kept for private purposes but the police had persuaded him to supply it. • Surgue was fined £25, in default two months’ imprisonment.

Jack Hapanovich was also fined £25, in default two months. He was represented by Mr. Leahy. The subinspector said he had supplied beer to the same two constables. Seven bottles of beer were found in liis kitchen. It was his first appearance before the court. Lapanovich had a business at 62 Victoria Street. Counsel urged that defendant had at first refused to supply the constables tvith beer and. afterward, hesitated about taking the money; but it was forced upon him. He was a respected man and had been 16 years in Victoria Street. It was liis first appearance before the court.

“It’s become a pest, this business,” commented the magistrate. .“The police were watching- the hotels; but they discovered that the shops were responsible.”