ELTHAM.

Taranaki Daily News, 18 October 1921, Page 6

ELTHAM.

MAGISTRATE’S COURT. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Oct. 17. Mr. A, M. Mowlem, S.M., presided at p. sitting of the Magistrate’s Court at Eltham to-day. DEFENCE CASES. J. E. Morrow, J. A. Quinn, H. C. Hawke, L. T. Quinn, and N. H. Gibson were each fined £1 and 7a costs for failing to attend drill. JOY-RIDERS FINED. Osborne Thomas Coleman and George Roy Greig pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawfully converting a motor-car to their own use. Constable Townsend stated that the two accused had taken a ear belonging to Mr. H. Belcher, of Ngaere, from outside the Foresters’ Hall and had driven it towards Ngaere. They had collided with a post, doing damage to the extent of £7. They had had liquor on the night in question and a further charge against a licensee would arise out of the case. Coleman was fined £7 10 and 7s costs, and Greig was fined £5 and 7s costs, and both were required to pay £3 10s 6d for repairs to the car. CIVIL CASES. Judgment was given for plaintiff by default in the following cases: R. E. Williams v. G. Bayne, £5 6s 8d and £1 18s (kl costs; Wilson’s Motor Supplies, Ltd. v. Hunter and Beere, £7 6s and £1 19s 6d costs; C. A. Cooper v. H. Martini. £l4 8s od and £2 14s costs; G A. Glentworth v. Christopher Glentworth, £ll 14s and £2 14s costs; Thomas, Olliver and Thomas v. W. Hope, £34 3s 3d and £4 Is 6d costs; Thomas, Olliver and Thomas v. T. Woodhead, £29 12s 3d; Bertram Leeper v. Thomas Bennett, £4 10s. and £1 3s 6d costs. A RESERVED JUDGMENT. The reserved judgment of Mr. H. W. Bundle, S.M., was given in the case in which the Public Trustee proceeded against Henry Shaw for damages in respect of a motor collision. Judgment was for plaintiff for £33 9s 6d and £6 14s costs. Security of appeal was fixed at £lO 10s. LICENSING CASE. Alexander Telfer, barman at the Coronation Hotel, was charged with, on September 30, selling liquor after hours, and also with selling liquor to a youth under the age of 21. Arising out of these charges Ernest Crabtree, proprietor of the Coronation Hotel. Eltham, was charged with keeping the premises open after hours, and selling liquor to a youth under the age of 21. Both cases were taken together. Teller pleaded guilty to the sale of liquor after hours, but not guilty to the other charge, and Crabtree pleaded not guilty to all three charges. Sergeant Henry conducted the case for the police, and Mr. Quilliam appeared for the defendants. Sergeant Henry said that on the night of September 30 a youth named Coleman had approached Telfer, who was standing in thw doorway of the Coronation Hotel, and askeci him f there was any chance of getting a bottle- of whisky. Telfer had consented, and had gone into the hotel and returned with a bottle of whisky, which he sold to Coleman. . Osborne Thomas Coleman said ’that on the night in question he had approached Telfer, who was standing at the door of the Coronation Hotel, and asked him for a bottle of whisky. Telfer had brought out a bottle of whisky and witness had given Telfer 10s for it, telling him to keep the change. The price of the whisky was 9s. After being interviewed by the police he accompanied Constable Townsend to the Coronation Hotel in order to identify the man who sold him the liquor. When in the office with Constable Townsend and Telfer he made a statement which was different from the statement lie was making in court. He made a different statement in the hotel because he did not want to get the barman into trouble.

To Mr. Quilliam: He had previously been in the hotel frequently with his brother and uncle.

Francis Henry Townsend said that whilst investigating a case of unlawfully using a motor-car, he had got a statement from Coleman that he had got a bottle of whisky from the barman of the Coronation Hotel. The following morning he took Coleman to the hotel, where he pointed out Telfer as the man who had sold the whisky. Coleman's first statement to him was to the effect that he had purchased the whisky in the afternoon. He had taken Coleman and Telfer into the private office, 'where Telfer signed a statement to the effect that he- had sold the whisky to Coleman in the afternoon and had always thought Coleman was over 21 vears of age. Coleman subsequently made a statement to the effect that the whisky had been bought at 8 o’clock at night. Witness produced a copy of Coleman’s birth certificate showing that he was born in August, 1901. Mr. Quilliam said that a boy of the appearance of Coleman would deceive anyone. Telfer had often seen Coleman enter the hotel with his uncle and brother. Telfer had made a foolish mistake in agreeing with Coleman's • statement that the whisky had been sold in the afternoon, but it was a shock to him to find* that Coleman was under 21. The very fact that he was -with his brother made everything look all right. Telfer admitted that he had had strict instructions from the licensee not to sell liquor to youths. With regard to the licensee the sale had been made without his knowledge, and ■moreover Telfer had no authority to «ell liquor after hours, even to the boarders. Decision was reserved until the next ■court day.