R.M. COURT.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume XIII, Issue 4246, 18 October 1892, Page 3

R.M. COURT.

FEATHERSTON-MONDAY. (Before Colonel Roberts, B.M. and Mrßoyiiold3,J.P.) SUNDAY TRADING. Polico V. Orr, Mr Aoheson for r dofendant. Ohargo—Sunday trading. I Constable Bo\vden stated that_ on Sunday, 18th September, ho visited tho Maryborough Hotel, of which Mr Orr is the licensee, He lound tho front door open facing the Peathorston road, also tho s.ving doors in {lie passage. A lamp was burning in the contre of tho hall. Tho small parlour on tho left hand side of the passago was open. A small slide which connected the parlour and the bar was open. There was half a glass of beor standing on tho counter of the slide. There were three men in the room, ono of whom was Mr Leap, the manager. He then went d#n to the centre passage, the door of which was open, and found it full of men. One man had a glass of beer n his hand. The slide which connected the centro passago with the bar was open, and the bar was lighted. Ho took the names of lour persons, one of whom was drinking. He

called Mr Leap and drew his attention to the state of tho houso and the jL number of men in it. W By Mr Acheson: He was on very good terms with Mr Orr. Ho was certain ho was in the house on tlm day when he laid tho information. There were four entrances to the housp, two of which are seldom opened, The main bar door is one of theso. The doors which he found open with the exception of one communicated with the passages. The door which he excepted connected the centre'passaee with tho bar. Considerable cross-examination took place. Constable Rowden and Mr Acheson each had a plan of the building, and Constable Bowden did not understand Mr Acheson's, Somo time was taken up in comparing the plans and reconciling them. By Mr Acheson: The doors which led more directly to (he bar were dosed, He believed that there -were some carpenters staying in the house The four men were not residents of j Buokeridge's, llnrtinborough, but were staying at the Club Hoiol, Thomas Leap, manager of tho Mar*y tinborough Hotel, stated that he saw tho policemen in the hotel about ninn o'clock, on Sunday the 18th. Tho policemen looked about the house for a little while. Ho did not know a man named Arthur Burns. He did not know a man named Harry Jones, He did not direct witness' attention to Harry Jones, He know a man named Nolan, to whom attention was directed, He had bis coat on when Mr Bowden come in. Ho was not aware that Mr Bowden had asked for Mr Orr. He bad seen ono light in tho bar. Mr Brown, the barman, was behind the bar, also a friend of Mr Leap's named Eastcott. He took over the Hotel on the 7th of October. Mr Brown, his barman, hold tho papers. The proceedings woro here interrupted by the arrival of Mr Orr's solicitor, Mr Menteith. Tho Court was adjourned for a few minutes. On the business being resumed Mr

Leap stated that Mr Bowden had called his attention to tlio state of the house, and he also heard him enquiring tho names of tho four men. By Mr Acheson: There were more than a dozen boarders in the Hotel. Only one entrance was open. By Mr Bowden: The door connecting the bar with tho centre passago was closed, A man named Clifford Wilson was in the Hotel. He was neither boarder nor bona fide traveller. W, Brown stated that he was Mr Leap's manager, Be had the license of tho Hotel in his possession, (Mr Acheson objected to the license being produced as Mr Leap had received no notice to produce it,) Thomas Leap received from Mr Orr on the 7th of October a transfer of license. Tho license was signed by two members of the Licensing Committee, Thomas Eastcott stated that he saw Constable Bowden in the Hotel

on the night of the alleged offence, Witness was behind the bar. Tho / slides, before mentioned, were open. » Two travellers and a boarder- were drinking. He beard Bowden enquire the name of one of the men. The door connecting the bar with tho centre passage was open and men were standing there waiting for drinks. By Mr Acheson: Thero are two lights in the bar, one only being lighted. Clifford Wilson stated that he was 1 in the Martinborough Hotel on tho night of the alleged offence. He had a drink while he was there, He did not knpw who served him, He afterwards got another drink. Ho never paid for any drink, He was neither boarder nor traveller, He believed he was slightly elevated when he left the house. By Mr Acheson: He did not pay for any drinks. The drinks were paid for by a boarder. William Hope, employed at Tullock's flaxmill, stated that ho recollected being in tlio hotel on the Bth .About 10 a.m. He could not state he left tho hotel, He had a few ' drinks, Ho was not a boarder but a travoller. He did not pay for his drink as a friend asked him to drink, He had one drink with a flaxmill hand named Homo. By Mr Acheson: Ho bail come from the camp which was ovor threo miles from the Hotel, He did not know whether his friend was a boarder. MrMenteatk stated that nothing sad been brought forward to prove that James Orr was the licensee. After considerable argument on legal points the case was dismissed without prejudice,