"AN EYE-OPENER"

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 57, 4 September 1926, Page 12

"AN EYE-OPENER"

SUPPLY OF LIQUOR AFTER

HOURS

STATUS OF LICENSEE'S WIFE.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

CHEISTCHUKCH, 3rd September

According to the decision of Mr. Ju: ptice Adams, even tho wife of tho lk'r:iseo of an hotel is not entitled to <;ivc liquor to her own guests after hcure. "An eye-opener to all licensees," was tho term applied to the decision by counsel. The point arose as the result of the dismissal by a Magistrate of the ohai-jje of supplying liquor after hours, laid against Eva Lily Low, wife of the licensee of the Wellington Hotel, Christchurch. The charge agaii:r.i ."In:. Low was that.on 9th December. 1',)'25, being a person other than the Ji ■. :!?oo of the Wellington Hotel, she supplied liquor to John Elstob and (,'h:irles Strong, persons not then lawfully imititled to be supplied with liquor. After hearing the evidence when tho case came before him, Mr. H. A. Yotnig, S.M., dismissed the charge, being satisfied that tho statements made by the defendant and tho two men were true and that they were her bona fide guests. The Crown was not satisfied with the decision, holding that it was erroneous in point of law and that no person other than the licensee was entitled to supply liquor even to guests after hours. The case was considered by his Honour Mr. Justice Adams, who upneld tho appeal and remitted it to the Magistrate to enter a "onviction. The case came before Mr. Young, S.M., to-day. Counsel said that it was quite clear that the law on this point was obscure, as the licensee's wife, Mrs. Low, was surely entitled to supply liquor to her guests, Mr. Justice Adams had decided otherwise, but if that were the law it disclosed a ridiculous position, and it was not clear to a layman. It was the first time that such a point of law had been laid befora the Court, and it was "an eyeopener" to all licensees that tho law was as it had been laid down. He asked the Magistrate to regard this as a test case. The Magistrate said that the defendant had had to pay all the expenses incurred by the Crown, and in view of the circumstances it would be sufficient to convict her and order her to pay Court costs, 7s.

The two largest hoists in the world are now in use in Canada. They can raise 560 tons of ore an hour from a depth of 3200 ft.