LICENSE ENDORSED.

Taihape Daily Times, Volume XI, Issue 3431, 10 March 1920, Page 6

LICENSE ENDORSED.

'NO MITIGATINE}' CIRCUMSTANCES

LIQUOR SUPPLIED FOR NATIVE.

At the Wang-anui Magista-ate’s Court on Monday morning, Mr Wyvern Wilson, S.M., concluded the hearing of the case in which W. J. Williams, licensee of the Aramoho Hotel, had pleaded guilty to a charge‘ of selling liquor to a Native for consumption off the‘ premises in a. native no-license district. Mr Treadwell appeared for the defendalit. Mr Hutton appeared on behalf of the owner of the prem-is-es. Mr Treadwell said that the register showed that there was nothing against the defendant, and he asked that the iicelise should not be endorsed. Tito Legislature provided a snb—a stantia? fine, and "that, he considered, would _I: ~ suflicient for this" case. He could in ~t understanrl why the liquorp was sold. for he made Very little pro- ' fit on tlw transaction, and as for trying to -warn the goodwill of Natives, Mr Trradwoll pointed out that the hotel Once was much frequented By Maoris, but since Mr Williams had obtained the license they had not freequented the place so much. He pointed out that no harm had been done to the Natives by the transaction.

On behalf of the onweia Mr Hutton asked the Magistrate not to endorse the license, for an endorsement woulcl. affect the commercial value of the rental of the hotel, which was the sole means of support of the owner. His VVorshl'ps said there were some Wide considerations bearing on the question whether the license should beendorsed or a fine infli-cted on the licensee. There appeared to be no

mitigating circums.tan‘ces of the Wrong-doing except that it was a flrst offence. It was an important district

as far as natives were concerned, as a large portion of the district was free from police supervision. It was a matter of the greatest urgency that liquor should not go up the river to natives. The defendant had pleaded guilty, but there seemed nothing else to do. The defendant had been unable to make any excuse or show any justification, and the sale had been. by the licensee himself, The fact that the licensee hncl sold the liquor at wholesale rates might be so that the natives would come back for

more. There was no reason why a license should not be endorsed for a first offence, otherwise ‘the law would only provide for endorsement in the case of 3. second offence. It seemed to be a bad instance. A fine of £25 and costs would be imposed, and the license would be elldol~§ge:3 with :2 re cord of the conviction. ' ‘ ’ in 1'e:~:::rd to the r.Hspn=z».l of the 24

of whisky. Tnspc-c'tu:' Hell<h‘€.V intimated. that it would be sent to the Public Hospital; and His VVm'ship agreed that that appeared to be the only course.