Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, DEC. 1, 1898. The Prohibited Person.

Manawatu Herald, 1 December 1898, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, DEC. 1, 1898. The Prohibited Person.

Fob a long time Magistrates have b. j en too eapy with that pest of society, the prohibited person, who9P craving foe drink hag not only been the. cause of bia being prohibited from getting drink on hi* own account ad the public house, but who has been the means of rendering miny persons being fin?d and imprisoned for doing hi« plpasure. Wh have witnessed men fiaed for obtain ing liquor for a person thpy knew was prohibited, and though possibly the fine was paid by the person thpy waited upon, the law never mover) ?o punish the person who caused 'his breach of the law by inciting obe convicted person to commit thr off nee. This all seenvd very topsy'urvy and we have before now called attention to thn phase of the ca"p, and we are phd to find that Mr Sanford, the S M. at New Plymouth ha 9at least been moved by proceed iags being taken against a prohibited per-on, from certain remarks made by Judgi? Kettle.. Why it has taken so many years to find the value of a clause in. "The Justices of the Peace Act 1882 " is a mystery, as it reads as follows. : — " Every person who aids, assists, counsels, or procures the commission of any offence punishable on summary jurisdiction shall be liable to be proceeded against and convicted for the same either together with the principal offender or before "r after his conviction and shall be liable on conviction to the same forfeiture and punishment as such principal offender shall be by law liable to, and may be proceeded against and convicted either in the place where such principal offender may be convicted, or in the place* in which such offence of aiding, abet ting, counselling or procuring may have been convicted." It is however satisfactory that a move in the right direction is at last being made, as the mere fact that the prohibited opr«on is putting himself into a difficult position as well as the per .son hp employs to get round the law, ; nay have a d°terrent effect on his conduct, which is 'he very principle of prohibition. N»t only does thp .let we have quoted bear on tha ensp hnt " The Criminal Code Act 1893 " tleclares that every one is a party to and guilty of an offence who — actually commits it; does or omifcp in act for the purpose of aiding any person to commit an offence ; abete •ny person in the commission of thp offence ; counsels or prncurps any oer«on to commit the offence. It seems now that the police -will have good authority for proceeding against any prohibited narson who has counselled some other pprson to obtain liquor for him, as he well knows rhat such an act is unlawful. The prohibited person will have to observe his acts very enot'oiHy for the future.