STRAINING THE LAW.

King Country Chronicle, Volume V, Issue 396, 16 September 1911, Page 5

STRAINING THE LAW.

The Taihape Times publishes the following article : —What would appear to be a hardshhip which has been shared by some business men in Palmerston has been brougfit under the notice of the Manawatu Daily Times. In forwarding spirits to the prohibited country on the Main irunk line to private orders, it is necessary to notify the clerk of the court in the district to which the liquor is sent. In the case of these districts, however, it is extremely difficult So ascertain in some cases which district of the very large licensing districts the locality comes within, ami it happened that three Palmerston spirit merchants sent their notification to the wrong clerk of the court. Nevertheless they were fined, and the lines and the costs of the court and of defending at Te Kuiti amounted to a substantial sum. The department was asked to refund as the whole transaction had been bona fide, but has not done so, and one of the merchants has been informed that he might have notilied each district had there been any doubt. He pointed out, however, that he believed he had been right when he first notified, and it he notified two districts he might have been charged with abetting sly grog selling by notifying more liquor than was actually sent, and that the bona tides should have saved him from punishment. The above case is by no means a solitary one in this respect. In fact Te Kuiti seems to be a veritable storm centre for these prosecutions. There is not the slightest doubt that the licensed vendors of liquor are loyally endeavouring to comply with the Act, but where the destination of the goods is not accurately known so far as the licensing district is concerned, they are dependent on the information supplied by the purchaser. It is obvious that too great a zeal is straining the law in a way which is contrary to the true principles of British justice, and it should be the duty of the Government to afford relief to the innocent victims. It would not be too much to claim that the department should provide accurately marked maps showing clearly the townships in each licensing district. At present the suppliers of liquor are being mulcit in heavy damages by way of fines and costs for loyally endeavouring to carry out the provisions of the law, and this should not be. Possibly these prosecutions are technically right, but they are certainly not justified.