DRINKING AT CLUB

Waikato Times, Volume 129, Issue 21584, 21 November 1941, Page 4

DRINKING AT CLUB

ILLEGAL LIQUOR SALES YOUNG GIRLS OBSERVED POLICE DESCRIPTION ! (By Telegrapn.—Press Association) WELLINGTON, Friday Allegations of drinking in a slygrog shop by young girls and of couples leaving the Melody Club, Inc., as late as five o’clock in the morning were made before Mr J. L. Stout, S.M., in a police prosecution of Hubert Edward Howard for selling liquor without a license. He pleaded guilty and was fined £SO and costs. According to Sub-Inspector Hewitt, a constable visited the premises and purchased liquor from Howard, and later a large quantity of liquor was seized. Howard, who was in charge of the place at the time, had the keys -of different lockers with various names on them. Sub-Inspector Hewitt said that Howard stated he assisted or was assisted by his brother in the management of the club, which had installed amusement machines. They went fitfy-fifty in the takings. There was a lot of drinking on the part of people on the premises, the sub-in-spector continued, including young girls 20 years of age and so forth. The police had seen couples leaving the premises under the influence of liquor as late as five o’clock in the morning. Its club business was simply a blind for a sly-grog shop of one of the worst descriptions. The magistrate after imposing the fine, said that if the offence occurred again it would mean imprisonment for Howard.