WAR REGULATIONS ACT.

Rangitikei Advocate and Manawatu Argus, Volume XLI, Issue 11653, 23 August 1916, Page 8

WAR REGULATIONS ACT.

LAST WEEK FOR “ SHOUTING.”

After the hotels close at 10 o’clock on Saturday night, it will be unlawful for any person to buy a drink for any other person in any licensed public house or chartered club. Regulations under the War Regulations Act of last session were gazetted yesterday, and they are to come into force on Monday next, August 28tb. A statement explaining in plain language what the regulations mean was made yesterday to a Dominion reporter by the Attorney-General, the Hon. A. L Herdmau.

'The public wiil have no difficulty iu understanding the regulations,said Mr Hardman. “They relate:

‘‘(a) To ‘treating.” “(b) To sly grog selling. - “(c) To the supply of drink to women. “(d) To prostitution. NO MORE “SHOUTING.”

“The regulations dealingjwith the subject of ‘treating’ will probably arouse the greatest interest. The general effect of the regulations is, with slight exception?, to make it unlawful for anyone to purchase liquor on licensed premises for consumption by anytfne else on or about licensed premises. If a person wants liquor, he must purhcase it himself and not depend upon the generosity of someone else for ' In’s entertainment. There are exceptions to this general regulation. A person may purchase liquor or another as part of a meal, and a boarder or a boim fide resident on licensed premises may ‘treat’ another person, but not in a bar. It should be noted that ‘licensed premises! include a chartered club, and that a bar includes a private bar or any part of licensed premises which-is principally or exclusively used for the sale ,fsupply, .or consumption of intoxicating liquor. Tne term ‘licensed premises also includes a place where liquor is sold pursuant to a couditional|licenso and the term ‘bqr’ will cover the room which is known as the bottle store or bottle’department or licensed premises, if such room is principally or exclusively used for the sale of liquor. “Not only is the person who treats liable under the regultaions, but the person who is treated is also liable, and the licensee or bar attendant who knowingly sells liquor m respect of which an offence has been committeed is likewise liable to be punished under the regulations. SLY GROG SELLING. “The sly grog seller is dealt with in Regulation 14, which provides that a constable may without a warrant enter any premises, whether licensed premises or not, upon which he reaosnably suspects that an offence against the provisions of t he Licensing Act or against the war regulations has been or is about to be committed.

WARNING OF UNDESIRABLES., “A further regulation provides that the Commissioner of Police may make an order prohibiting a person convicted under these regulations relating to houses of ill fame from residing at any time within sis months after the date of the conviction within 50 miles of a place named in the order.

DRASTIC, BUT NECESSARY. “The regulations, which, by the way, commence to operate on August 38th, may appear to be drastic, but Parliament has in effect declared that they are necessary at the present time, and they must bo obeyed. I 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 the Jaw. The police -will be specially instructed to endeavour to detect breaches of the law, and every effort will be made to see that it is strictly obeyed. The penalty for a breach of the regulations is a ffne not exceeding £IOO, or imprisonment for a term not exceeding twelve months.

“Other regulations which will empower the police authorities to summon offending licensees of hotels to appear before Licensing Committees to answer allegations of misconduct are being prepared and will be gazetted shortly. ’’