LIQUOR AS MEDICINE

Taihape Daily Times, 20 April 1918, Page 6

LIQUOR AS MEDICINE

-* w * 1 AN IMPORTANT DECISION. WAIHI, April 18. ; A judgment of mucli Importance to chemists.and medical men in no license districts was delivered in the Magistrate’s Court to-day, by Mr. Mosley, in connection with charges of veiling and keeping liquor for sale against local chemists, heard last court day. During the course of a lengthy ifecision the magistrate said that in his cpinion it was extremely undesirable and not in accordance with the spirit of sections of the Act in force in nolicense districts that chemists should, even on certificates of doctors, dispense liquor in greater quantities than in an Boz. bottle; also, it was undesirable that chemists’ shops should he turned into public houses for the sale of alcoholic liquors. The fact that whisky largely predominated in sale hy the defendants raised in his mind a very strong suspicion that they were in the habit of selling liquors for other than medicinal purposes. He held that Clark, in selling a "bottle of whisky, did not dispense liquor in medicinal quantities for medicinal purposes in accordance with paragraph 5 of section 147, and therefore was guilty of selling. But, as it was the first charge of such a nature In New Zealand, he would impose a nominal penalty of £2 and costs. Oth;«r charges of keeping for sale were withdrawn. Defendant G. Barron was similarly convicted and fined. Charges against W. J. Woods of keeping liquor for sale were withdrawn. The magistrate said in his opinion the Legislature intended that in no-license districts chemists should have the right to dispense liquor in medicinal quantities for medicinal pur. poses in accordance with the Act.