CHINESE LIQUOR PURCHASE BY CLAN

[NZBC]

CHINESE LIQUOR PURCHASE BY CLAN CONFISCATION OPPOSED SEQUEL TO PROSECUTION Following a medical examination, a Chinese, Kwong Shing, aged 69, who ulmitted selling liquor without a licence ,vhen he appeared before Mr. J. I. Luxford, S.M., last Friday, came ip for sentence yesterday. The magis;rate, who had said that sly grog of'ences could be punished only by imprisonment, agreed with the medical eport than Kwong Shing was too debilitated to serve a prison term and iccordingly fined him £SO. An application for the confiscation >f a large quantity of liquor which had icon .seized by the police, made by Siibn<pector Macnamara, was opposed by Ur. Finlay, acting for the co-operative nvners of the liquor, who claimed it or a number of Chinese groups. The iquor, mostly Chinese wine and whisky, had been seized when Kwong shing had been apprehended. The War Anticipated Mr. Finlay said the liquor did not jelong to the man who had been con,-ictwl, but to a clan known as the Pong Clan. Seven large market garlens were interested in the liquor, lo msure supplies of Chinese food and lelicacies the clan started a business u 1936. Kwong Shing, although manlger, had no proprietary interest in the business. The Chinese had foreseen attacks on Hongkong and Singapore and had ordered 60 cases of Chinese liquor from Plono-kong. .It was received by the firm as agents for the gardens. Duty had ieen paid on the liquor, which was subject to import licence, but the liquor had not yet been paid for because of the fall of Hongkong. A New Year Festival Some of the cases had been broached for the Chinese New Year festival, said Mr. Finlay. It was highly potent liquor, obnoxious to Europeans and had a medicinal effect on the offsetting the fatty foods they ate. Europeans would not buy it, nor would the Chinese, as the market was saturated, all having obtained a good stock. Evidence that Kwong Shing was only the manager for the seven gardens interested in the partnership was given bv a Chinese, who was a trustee of the business, and also by Mr. John Donald, who said he had been aware for about 12 years of the existence of the partnership. Judgment was reserved. New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24291, 4 June 1942, Page 4 New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24291, 4 June 1942, Page 4