The King Country.

Kawhia Settler and Raglan Advertiser, Volume IV, Issue 399, 26 February 1909, Page 2

The King Country.

AN IMPORTANT LICENSING DECISION. HOW WILL IT EFFECT KAWHIA? At the Waitara Police on February 17th, before Mr Fiizbt rbert, 8.M., A. G. Crawford was charged as follows: —That on December 28rd he did, at Aw ikino, that being a nn-licen.=e area, sell whisky to one John Johnson ; that he solicited an order for whisky ; that six. bottles of whisky was kept for sale; that one bottle of whiaky was sold ; that an order for whisky was received. Constable Dick prosecuted, the defendant- who pleaded not guilty, being represented by Mr Quilliam.

After tbe evidence had baen taken and reviewed by counsel, Mr Qoilliam contended that tbs facts of the case were not nearly euffi cient for his Worship to convict, but apart from that aspect nf the case, he would show his Worship that the Awakino block could not be held to coma within the scope of the proclamation making it a no-license district. In the section of the Act dealing with tne matter the Governor wae empowered to proclaim a certain area at the request of native owners of land a no license district, but counsel said he could show that tbe Awakino block was not native land. His whole argument depended upon him being able to show that the block was not native land, and he had been fortunate enough to secure records showing that the land was acquired from the natives in 1854 for the sum of £5OO. It was not necessary for the purposes of tbe case for the Magistrate to hold that the whole of the proclamation was ultra vires, but he would have to say, after going through the records, that Awakino block was wrongly included. The Magistrate said the point was a most important one, and it Mr Quitliana was correct, which he appeared to be, the proclamation would have to be declared ultra vires, and the cases dismissed on that ground alone. Decision was reserved.