THE LICENSING LAWS.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 November 1921, Page 7

THE LICENSING LAWS.

CHARGES AGAINST HOTELKEEPER. RESULT OF POLICE VISIT. As the result of a police visit to the White Hart Hotel on the night of Saturday, November 5, a number of informations alleging breaches of the licensing laws were brought in the New Plymouth Magistrate’s Court yesterday. The licensee, Arthur E. Horne, was charged with allowing liquor to be consumed after hours, with keeping open for the sale of liquor, and selling liquor during prohibited hours. Two men, Charles T. Mills and Arthur R. Peddie, were charged with being unlawfully on licensed premises. Mr. C. H. Croker appeared for all the defendants, and the prosecution was conducted by SeniorSergeant McCrorie. Evidence was given by Senior-Sergeant McCrorie, who said that at a quarter to nine on the Saturday night he followed two men, C. T. Mills and A. R. Peddie, from Queen Street into the White Hart Hotel. He» did not see them go in, but was told they went in. On entering he saw the licensee and about five or six men down the passage near the office. He passed the office, the door of which was partly open, and saw Peddle and Mills standing against the mantelpiece. Each had a glass of beer in his hand. The bar was open and was lighted up. Entering the office he asked Peddie what he was doing in the hotel, and asked if the glass of beer, which hud been placed on the mantelpiece, was his. He replied that it was not, but gave no explanation of being on the premises. Mills, on being questioned, said he had come into the hotel to get a parcel, and pointed to a package on the mantelpiece. Asked as to what was in the parcel, he made no reply. He also denied that the other glass of beer was his. The licensee, who had been standing outside in the passage, then came in, and he was asked why the men were in the hotel. He said Peddie came into the hotel to change a cheque for £l, and they had a drink. Witness replied that the men had no right there, and that they should be ordered off the premises. He also told Horne that the matter would be reported. Witness had found Mills in the hotel after hours on two previous occasions. Each time he said he had come in for parcels, and witness told him he was not to come in. Peddie was well known about the town, too, but witness did not recollect seeing him in the White Hart before.

He left the hotel and stood outside the Post Office for a few minutes; he saw five or six men leave the hotel and go down Queen Street, but he could not say who they were.

To Mr. Croker: He did not tell Horne that he had assumed Peddie had shouted. He denied that Horne informed him that the men had a right to be there, as it was his private office. He had cautioned Horne before. He did not remember Horne saying, “Well, if you think that way about it you had better go on with it.” What he thought Horne did say was, ‘Don’t be hard on me.”

Mr. Croker said that on the occasion of the visit of the sergeant there was no suggestion that there had been* a sale. Horne had asked Peddie and Mills to have a drink; they were really his guests, and he told the sergeant this. Proceeding to deal with the other charges, Mr. Croker said Mr. Justice Hosking had given a decision to the effect that though a bar was lighted up and the contents could be seen this did not constitute an exposure for sale. In any case, in this hotel the contents of the bar could not be seen by a person standing at the doorway.

The defendant, A. E. Home, said he changed a cheque for £1 for Peddie, and of this Mills received 15s, which was owing to him by Peddie. The balance of the money went to Peddie, and witness got nothing. He invited the men to have a drink before they went, which they accepted. When the sergeant came in witness explained what had taken place, and the sergeant said the men had no right to be there. Witness thought he was correct in having the men there, ’but after the sergeant’s decision he told him the men would leave.

Charles T. Mills said that he met Peddie on the street that night, and as he had had business with Peddie he asked him for some money. As Peddie had no cash they agreed to adjourn to the White Hart to enable Peddie to write a cheque. While there they were invited by Horne to have a drink, and the refreshment was brought in. While they were consuming it the sergeant came in. He had left a parcel there which he desired to pick up. To Senior-Sergeant McCrorie: He had done various business for Peddie. He did not remember being warned previously about leaving parcels in the hotel. A. R. Peddie gave evidence on the lines of the previous witness. He said he did not know the sergeant, who was in plain clothes, and when asked what he was doing there he replied, “Having a smoke.” He thought the sergeant was one of the boarders. He did not know how the drinks came to be ordered, as he was a bit deaf. Decision was reserved.