The Dunstan Times. CLYDE, FRIDAY JUNE 17, 1881.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1000, 17 June 1881, Page 2

The Dunstan Times.

CLYDE, FRIDAY JUNE 17, 1881.

Benonth the rule of men entirely just The pen Is mightier than tho sword.

I’he question—and which, so far as we know, is a moot one and not generally understood—relating to billiard and bagatelle tables in hotels is shortly to be decided in the Supreme Court, Mr Colclough, of Cromwell, on behalf of one Mauson, having appealed against a decision of Major Keddell, who is to state a case for the Supreme Court. The contention of Mr Colclough is that the permission to keep a billiard or a bagatelle table is for a year from the date of permission, while the ruling of the Court is that, whenever granted, the date of expiry is December 31st. By a strange oversight, in none of the Acts of the General Assembly is there any mention made of a billiard or bagatelle table, the only place where it is mentioned being in the “ Otago Licensing Ordinance, 1865,” where it is laid down—“ That no holder of a general license shall permit the game of billiards or bagatelle to be played in his house unless a special permission in writing has been obtained from a Resident Magistrate or two or more Justices of the Peace, and for which permission the annual fee of 10s for each bagatelle table, and £5 for each billiard table, shall be paid to the Provincial Treasurer.” The custom has been—and where there is no distinct and definite law, custom be comes the law—for the permits to terminate on December 31, but whether the judges of the Supreme Court will uphold this custom time will tell.