WAR REGULATIONS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 1603, 26 August 1916, Page 4

WAR REGULATIONS.

!■ NO MORE “SHOUTING.” h WOMEN IN HOTELS. THE POSITION OF CLUBS. SUPPRESSION OF HOUSES OP ILL-FAME. The additional regulations under the War Regulations Act dealing with “shouting,” the sale of liquor to women, and prostitution, were gazetted on Wednesday. The Attorney-General (lion A. L, Herdman) was asked by a reporter to explain shortly the purport ot the principle features of the regulations. The public will have no° difficulty in understanding the Regulations, said Mr Herdman. They relate; (a) To Imi ling; (b) To sly grog-selling;

(c) To the supply of drinks to women ; and

(d) To prostitution

The regulations dealing with the subject of treating will probably arouse the greatest interest. The general effect, of the regulations, with slight exceptions, is to make it unlawful for anyone let purchase liquor on licensed premises for consumption by anyone else on or about licensed premises. If a person wants liquor, he must pureahse it himself, and not depend upon t ho generosity of someone else for his entertainment. There are exceptions to this genera! regulation. A person may purchase liquor for another as part of a meal, and a hoarder or a lama lide resident on licensed premises may treat another person, hut not in a bar. It should be noted that “licensed promises” includes a chartered chib, and that ti bar includes a private bar or any part of licensed premises which is principally or exclusively used lor the sale, supply, or consumption of intoxicating liquor. The term “licensed premises” also includes a place where liipior is sold pursuant to a conditianol license, and the term “bar” will cover the room which is known as the bottle store

or bottle department on licensed promises, if such room is principally or exclusively used for the sale of liipior. Not only is the person who treats liable under the regulations, hut the person who is treated is also liable, and the licensee or bar attendant who knowingly sells liquor in respect of which an offence has been committed is likewise liable to he punished under the regulations.

The supply of drink to women in hotels is dealt with by a regulation which provides that no woman (other than the licensee, or a servant of the licensee, or a member of the licensee’s family) shall at any time after (i o’clock in the evening enter or remain in the bar of any licensed promises or loiter about the entrance to any such bar. The siy grog seller is deal! with in Regulation 14, which provides that a i-onstable may, without warrant, enter any premises, whether licensed premise's or not, upon which he reasonably suspects that an offence against the provisions of the Licensing Act or against the War Regulations has been or is about to be commit leal.

The regulations dealing wills “houses of ill-fame" arc, 1 think, comprehensive. Tin l difficulty that has existed in regard to whal arc known as “one-woman brothels" has been overcome hy providing that a “house of ill-fame” means any premises used lor tin- purpose of prostitution, whether by one woman or by more than one. Under the regulations the following persons are liable: — (1) The. persons who keep, menage, occupy, or reside in a house of ill-fame; or who act or assist in the keeping or management of the house.

(2) The persons whet permit premise's to he used as a house' ot ill-fame.

(;■{) The lessor, landlord, or agent of (he house with knowledge or with reasonable ground of suspicion tluit it is to he used :is a house of ill-fume. ( I ) Women who loiter in u 4<publie place" us defined in I lie Police Offences Acl for purposes of prostitution. (ii) Mule persons over the age of fifteen years who live wholly or in part upon the earnings of a prostitute.

The regulations provide that a Justice of the Peace may issue a. warrant to a police officer not below the rank of sergeant to enter premises for the purpose of detecting breaches of the regulation, but such police officer when he makes his search must be accompanied by another police officer. This regulation has been framed so as to ensure that there shall not be any unwarrantable interference by the police with respectable members of the community.

A further regulation provides | that the Commissioner of Police | may make an order prohibiting a j person convicted under- these regulations relating to houses of illfame residing at any time within six. months after the date of the conviction within fifty miles of a place named in the order. The regulations, which, by the i wav, commence to operate on the I 28lh day of this month, may appear to he drastic, but Parliament has in effect: declared that they are necessary at the present time, and 1 they must he observed. .1 expect the licensees of hotels, and those responsible for the conduct of chartered clubs and the public generally, to support the authorities in their efforts to administer (he law. The 1 police will he specially instructed to endeavour to detect breaches ot I lie law, and every ellort will he made 1 to see that it is strictly observed.

The penally for a breach of the regulations is a line not exceeding £IOO or imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve months. (Hher regulations which will empower ( Ik* police authorilies (o summon offending licensees of hotels to appear before Licensing Commit tecs to answer allegations of misconduct arc being prepared and will be gazetted short!