MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 312, 11 June 1915, Page 3

MAGISTRATE'S COURT.

ALLBGBD SLY-GIOG SELLING AT MOKAU.

Two cases of alleged selling came before Mr. A. Crooke, S.M., at the New Plymouth Court yesterday. The first was a' charge of' keepin" whisky, ale and rum for sale, preferred against Mrs. M. Jensen, of Mokau. Mr. Grey appeared for defendant.

Mr. Grey said Mrs. Jensen and her husband lived at IMokau, and the man was often absent up the river. His client had consistently denied to him that she had ever sola liquor. But as they had secured a large amount of liquor, which it would be inferred -was secured for the purposes of sale, he had advised defendant to plead guilty. It was a first offence, and ho pleaded for leniency. As a matter of fact, none of the liquor was sold, it being consumed by the defendant's husband and his workmates on the contract on which ho was employed.

Sub-Inspector Fouhy detailed tinquantities of liquor bought by defendant during two months, which included several two-gallon lots of whisky and ten gallons of beer. This, he said, was heavy consumption for the man and his friends.

The Magistrate said keeping liquor for sale was a very serious offence, and to impose a small fine would only encourage people in the practice. The maximum penalty was £SO. He did not propose to make such a heavy fine as that, as this was a first offence. Defendant would be fined £lO, and costs 7s. Fourteen days was allowed in which to find the monev.

The second charge was against Margaret Sox, boardinghouse - keeper, of Mokau, and 'was for permitting part of her premises to be used for storing liquor.

Mr. Ron. Quilliam, who appeared for defendant, pleaded not guilty. The police, he said, had agreed to a statement of the facts, which were that on May 15 J. McGorman, who was staying at the defendant's boardinghouse, asked a rouseabout employed there to fetch some liquor from the wharf for him, as be was unable to do it himself. This was done, and the liquor placed in MeGorman's bedroom. The same evening MeGorman, who feared to let it remain in his bedroom during his absence, asked Mrs. 'Box to allow him to lock it away in a cupboard under the stairs. This was done, and the key was taken charge of by McGorman, and hidden by him in a recess. Morality was not of a particularly high order in Mokau, and both McGorman and Mrs. Box feared that trouble might occur if a party came down the river and secured the liquor. He submitted that these facts, while they might come within the wording of the Act, did not come within the meaning of it. The liquor was taken into Jim ]ipnsc quite openly, no attempt being made to deceive the police. Sub-Inspector 'Fouhy pointed out that the key of the cupboard in wliich the liquor was kept was not on defendant's person, nor in his room, but hidden in. a recess in a passage, where anyone could obtain access to it.

The Magistrate reserved his decision in order to look up the statute.