LIQUOR PROSECUTIONS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 336, 11 February 1911, Page 3

LIQUOR PROSECUTIONS.

To the Editor. Sir, —I wish to crave a little space in your valuable paper, to bring under the notice of the general public the amount of persecution that goes on in the King Country courts generally and in Te Kuiti court in particular in administering the licensing laws. Last Court day in Te Kuiti, there were between twenty and thirty cases (twenty-six to be exact) brought before the Magistrate, and only two convictions recorded, the rest of the cases being dismissed with the invariable remark of the magistrate as "trivial," or "it was a matter of regret that the authorities were not a little more yielding and accommodative." The country is put to no end of expense in conducting these trivial cases'and defendants are brought from their homes in Taihape, Auckland, Hamilton, Ohura, Aria, Marakopa and various other places, at great inconvenience and endless expense to prove their innocence. Now, sir, who is to blame for this state of affairs? Is it the local constable at Te Kuiti, who, I understand, also holds the position of Clerk of the Court, or who? If the constable, then the only thing that I can say is that it is about time some responsible officer, capable of using a little, discretion, was appointed to such an important and growing place as Te Kuiti. The last Court day, I might mention, was nc exception, but Court day after Court day practically the same thing occurs.--I am etc., G, S. OTWAY.