“SLY=GROG” SELLING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 23 February 1939, Page 8

“SLY=GROG” SELLING

MASTERTON MAN CONVICTED. VISITS BY SPECIAL CONSTABLE. During his stay in Masterton on special duty a police constable visited on two occasions a house in Loncoln Road where he purchased and drank beer and also took away some bottles at 2s each. The outcome was heard in the Masterton Magistrate’s Court this morning when Edward Ahern, a freezing works employee, appeared on two charges of selling liquor in a no-licence district. He was convicted and fined £l5 and 10s costs on each charge. Senior-Sergeant G. A. Doggett said that from about the middle of November a special constable had been on duty in Masterton and had made several visits to defendant’s homo in Lincoln Road. The constable purchased and drank beer on the premises and also bought bottles of beer at 2s a bottle. On both occasions several men were in the house drinking beer. When a search warrant was executed at a later date a quantity of beer was found on the premises and there were three men drinking at a table. Forty-one bottles, including 28 of cider, were confiscated. In about three months the Court records showed that defendant had obtained 37 gallons of beer from an Auckland firm. He had also secured 10 gallons this month. Mr J. Macfarlane Laing, who appeared for defendant, said Ahern had made a practice of entertaining his friends at his home. The men, however, considered that it was not fair for defendant to provide the beer and they decided that if the beer was available they would pay for it. As a result of that it had developed to the stage described by the- police. There war. no ■ uggestion of noise, disturbance of neighbours, or drunkenness. Mr Lawry convicted and fined defendant as stated. An order was also made that the liquor confiscated should be forfeited. Jack Morgan. William Walker and Kenneth Morris were each fined £2 and 10s costs on charges of being found on premises used fm- lhe'sale of liquor.