LICENSING ACT.

Taranaki Daily News, 13 March 1916, Page 8

LICENSING ACT.

A PROSECUTION FAILS. At the Magistrate's Court on Saturday, before Mr. A .Crooke, S.M., William M. St. George, licensee of the Masonic Hotel, Waitara, was charged with receiving an order for liquor to be taken into a prohibited, area and failing to enter such order in a book kept for that purpose. Sub-Inspector Foulty conducted the case on behalf of the police, and Mr. Grey defended. the case had been partly heard at Waitara and was adjourned until* Saturday morning to enable the evidence of .John Heath, the person ordering the liquor to be taken. Heath stated that he resided at Mokau, but had been staying at the Masonic Hotel. He onicron three bottles of stout and nine bottles of beer to be put up in a case for him to take to Mokau, at the same time giving the licensee a cheque to pay for the liquor and for his board. It was getting rather late at night and the licensee said he was too busy then to make up the order, which, however, Heath obtained next morning. Mr. Grey, for the defence, raised a non-suit point that on the facts disclosed by the evidence, even assuming Heath's statement to. be true, the information disotbsed no offence, the entry in the book referred to in the information being only necessary where liquor was to be delivered by the seller in the' prohibited area. . . His Worship upheld Mr. Grey's contention and the case was dismissed. Heath, who had pleaded guilty to a charge of giving an order for liquor intended to be taken into a prohibited area and failing to give a statement-in writing necessary in such times, then appeared for sentence. Mr. Grey, who appeared for Heath, said he had acted inadvertently, but had shown every readiness to assist the police in the matter. Mr. Grev therefore his Worship to deal with him as leniently as possible. Inspector Pouliy admitted that Heath had given the police all the assistance he could in the matter. Under these circumstances a fine of 20s and costs 7s was imposed.