CHEMISTS AND ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 180, 19 April 1918, Page 4

CHEMISTS AND ALCOHOLIC LIQUORS

AN IMPORTANT DECISION. By Telegraph—Press Association. Waihi, April lfi. An important decision bearing on the powers of cheraisls in dispensing alcoholic liquors in No-License areas was given by Mr. E. D. Mosley, S.M., to-day. Two local chomists were charged with a breach of the Licensing Act, in that they sola liquor in a No-License area in contravention of Section' I<IG, which prohibits absolutely the sale of liquor. The defence rested on paragraph (h) or clause 147, which states tlmt duly qualified pharmaceutical chemists can gispense liquor ill No-Liceiiso districts in medicinal quantities for medicinal purposes, upon, certificates signed by a. qualified medical practitioner. Acting on this scoti.on the defendants had 1 sold spirits by the bottle on medical orders. The Magistrate said it was clear the> Act, in terms of paragraph (h) of section 147, gave chemists the power of dispensing spirits in medicinal quantities and for medicinal purposes only, but tho quantity sold suggested that the sales had not oniy been for medicinal purposes and in medicinal quantities, and the defendants would be convicted of selling liquor. He was of opinion that, a medicinal'quantity should, not exceed eight ounces, which amount represented the size of the largest bottle usually dispensed. The case, being the first, of its Kind in New Zealand and a test case, the Magistrate infiictod a low penalty, fixing tlia fines at £2 each, with costs. Mr. Mosley drew a distinction botween the sale by chemists of alcoholic liquors as such and the sale of medicated wines which later formed a part, of the ordinarv stock-in-trade of chemists, ana could, if'brought into a No-License district m accordance with the provision of the Act. be' Toasonably sold by chemists, provided they Vero dispensed in accordance witn sucli provisions.