IMPORTANT LICENSING CASE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXIII, Issue 186, 17 August 1901, Page 2

IMPORTANT LICENSING CASE.

The decision of Mr. Justice Denniston in the case of Stanton v. James, reported in 19 N.Z.L.Tt. 362, is of great importance to hotelkeepers. The fac's were as follow : On Sunday, 11th June, two psrsoDS left Ohristchurch, where they hid slept the nieht before, and travelled to New Brighton, a distance of more than three miles from Christ :hurrh. They an-ived a v , New Bright™ at 11 a.m., and ot their arrival ob'aino'l refreshment at the hotel there. They retumad a* 12 neon and again at 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. of the i same day to the same hotel, and on each occasion demanded and obtained liquor. The Stipendiary Magistrate al Ohristchurch (Mr, Beetham) refused to convict the licensee of the hotel, but on appeal to the Supreme Court Mr. Justic9 Denniston held that the i Magistrate was wrong. In bis judgment Mr. Jus'ice Denniston lays it J dow that a bona fide traveller can only i obtain liquor "on arriving from a journey." No doubt, says th 9 Judge, some inteiv.il nvgtat elapse between his arrival and his seeking refreshment, and what; is a reasonable time is a question of fact for the Magistrate. I think it is imposnble to hold that a m<ui completing a journey at 11 a.m. is a bona'fide traveller " seeking refreshment on nrriviog from a journey " at 4 p.m. the same day.