LIQUOR IN KING COUNTRY.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 July 1917, Page 6

LIQUOR IN KING COUNTRY.

BREACHES OF THE LAW. Several eases in which Uie defendants were charged with breaches of law in connection v/ith the taking of liquor into a uroclaimcd area .were heard before Mr. A. Crooke, S.M., ut the New I'lyraciith Magistrate's Court yesterday. WHISKY AT KAWHIA.

Joseph Friend Startup was charged with having, in conjunction with 11. Granville, Marakopa, token liquor into a proclaimed area, namely Kawhi/., without having the packages so labelled as to show the nature of their contents.

Sub-Inspector Mcllveney said an information hud !>een iaid against Granviiie, hi!t tir; police had been unable to serve him with the summons, and probably an application would shortly lie nw.de to liie court for a warrant for his arrest.

Mr. .I'. If. Quilliam appeared for Startup, who would plead guilty under certain circumstances. Startup was the engineer and part owner of a small launch that traded between V/aitara, Alarakopu, and Kawhia. Granville had ordered seven cases of whisky to be taken by the launch to Marakopa, and the liquor was taken on board the little vessel, but it was taken as ordinary merchandise, and Startup had no idea, the packages contained whisky. Owing to stress of weather the launch went to Kawhii, where then; was a constable, instead of to Marakopa, where there was none. The constable at Kawhia went to the launch, and .with the assistance of defendant made a search, which resulted in the discovery of two cases 01 whisky consigned to Granville. The defendant had been quite ignorant that there had been whisky in the packages, but had pleaded guiity principally because it would have cost him .tMG to come to New Plymouth to defend the case.

Sub-Inspector Mcllveney stated tho.t Granville had ordered seven cases of whisky from a linn in Xew Plymouth, giving instructions that the contents of the seven cases should be put into two cases and sent by train to Waitara, and thence by the launch. This was done, and the fact became public pro-, perty at Waitara, in consequence of which the constable at Kawhia was communicated with and the whisky was founi on the launch. No doubt" Granviiie was the principal lender. Hi.-. Worship convicted the defendant and irofoned. a fine of Z\, with costs A. QUESTION* Or LAW. Thomas Kendall (Mr. J. H. Quilliam) was charged with having on June 2 taken a bottle ci whisky into a proclaimed area without the bottle being addressed to the person to whom it was sent, or so labelled as to show the nature and quantity of its contents.

The facts in this case were admitted. The defendant was the driver of the coach between Tongaporutu and Uruti, and a man named Richards drove the coach between Uruti and Waitara. Kendall asked Richards to get him a bottle of whisky, and Richards did so, giving it to Kendall at Uruti, which was in a licensed district. Kendall, however, took the whisky into a proclaimed district on his return journey, and for doing so he was charged with a breach of the law. The defence was that Kendall obtained the whisky for his own use, and that he was entitled to carry it into a proclaimed area under tho Act of 1908, but Sub-Inspector Mcllveney contended that the (provisions of the Act of 1914 superseded those of the Act of 1908, and made it an offence for any person to take liquor iiito a proclaimed area either for himself or for anyone else, unless it was properly labelled and addressed. After hearing argument his Worship reserved decision.

MOKAU CASES. Victor 11. Mehrtcns was charged with having on June 3, at Mokau (1) kept whisky fo» sale; (2) kept whisky for another person named W. if. Rogers; and (3) stealing four bottles of whisky, the property of W. 11. Rogers. Mr. J. H. Quilliam appeared for the defendant, who pleaded not guilty. The case was that four bottles of whisky had been ordered by Rogers to be forwarded to him by coach. The parcel did not come on the day expected, and when it did arrive Rogers was away, having gone up the Mokau river, but he had left an order authorising Mehrtcns to take delivery. Mehrtens took delivery, and took a bottle for himself, which Rogers told him he could do. The other three lint ties wcrt afterwards disposed of by Mehrtens and las friends, but subsequently Mehrtcns made restitution by sending four bottles (A whisky up the Mokau river to Rogers. Evidence having been taken, his Worship dismissed the (-hinges of theft and of kee.pin.ir liquor for another person, and at the request of Mr. Quilliam adjourned the charge of keeping liquor for sale till Thursday lie:-.:, to permit of witnesses being called to s'iow that the whis!;v had not been kept for sale, but had been coiisiv.no<l by defendant and l.'.s five friends.

OFFENCE ADMITTED. Edward. George Jury pleaded guilty to a charge of having kept for sale certain liquor, to wit whisky, at Awakino, in a proclaimed area. Mr. J. H. Quilliam said the defendant was a coach driver, and there was a very strong temptation to him to take liquor into the.district in question. He was a vouny man and this was a first offence. Suh-lii-pcetor Mcllveney said the circumstances connected with this case inclined him to the belief that a regrettable state of things existed in this district. The. liquor had not been obtained for Jury, but for another person whose name was on the order. It was quite probable that the defendant bad authority to sign the other person's name, but it was to be feared that a large number of similar orders were not "liable. His Worship intimated that he would impost a penalty of £lO, but would Mr' entering up the conviction till after ■ •.allien', in Kendall's case next Thurs- ;.(,,:" .t. .„, adjustment of costs was involved.