DRINK IN DRY TOWN.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 294, 15 May 1914, Page 6

DRINK IN DRY TOWN.

HOW INVERCARGrLL PEOPLE MANAGE. SOFT DRINK BARS, KEPT BUSY. " A PLACE OF RESORT." By Telegraph—Press Association. Invercargill, Wednesday. An interesting case came before .Mr. Hutchison, S.M, to-day, when Victor Coleman was charged with having, between March 7 and May 2, as manager of Hie Club Hotel, Invercargill, being a no-license area, allowed such premises to be used as a place of resort for the consumption of liquor. Inspector Norwood, in_ stating the. facts, said that for some. time, past it had 'become the custom for some of the private hotels to set aside a bar, apparently for aerated waters. Persons went into these bars with liquor in their possession, and were given a glass of aerated water. The bottle was usually handed to the barman, who drew the cork and poured out the liquor. Payment was ma.de by the customer at the rate of 3d for the glass and 3d for the aerated water. This practice had been extending to such an extent that it was difficult to perceive between it and •that which obtained in licensed districts. The opinion of the Crown law officers had been sought on the matter, and it was as the result of that opinion that the present proceedings had been instituted. It was also the custom for drunken men to bo seen coming out of ; these places. It was no offence against the law to bring drink into the promises, therefore it was bard to distinguish the difference between licensed and unlicensed districts if this custom were to be held as legal. Mr. Inder, for the defence, did not call evidence, as the defence was based on law. There had 'been no suggestion of illicit sale of liquor. Before a conviction could be recorded, the Court would have to consider only one point: "What was the primary object of these persons going to the Club Hotel ?" "We k say," said Mr. Inder, "that their primary object was to get the. -utensils with which to drink . If they already had liquor in their possession, and if they Were fearless enough to drink in the streets 1 , there was no law to prevent their so doing. Let the police inspector ask his officials, and if lie received an honest" answer he would be told that dozens of empty bottles were to be found each day in the urinals of the town-v The law as it stood, according to the police interpretations, was forcing people to drink in urinals and out of the way places. 1; the primary object of tho c e people U\ sointr into the Club Hotel was to get drink, then Coleman would have to be convicted. II it were not. then th" information should be dismissed. Under the Acts Interpretation Act. the Court was entitled tc look at the preamble of the Act. Thai ( showed that the Licensing Act was dc signated to give people greater eontro over the sale of 'liquor. It was not ai Act designed to prevent drinking, but t( prevent (he sale of drink. The whole trend of the licensing legislation was ii that direction. . Mj. Cpleman kept :i I first-class boarding-house- and ■■ first class refreshment room. I'eio'e he couh be convicted it must be proved that hi* primary object in keeping the place was 1 that of keening a slv-grog shop. His Wnrsilnn- fill ,„if U n„,r,.-I ~,1

■Sir. Jnder, continuing, .said that the licensing legislation had boon intended by the f»nati«s who urged it as a moans of abolishing liquor. AH the amoiulments to the Act had been made to that end. Nobody was game, however, to introduce an Act to prevent drinking. All that had been done was to legislate so as to prevent the sale of it in certain districts.

His Worship asked if .he were being requested to say that the information dealt with tin- Club Hotel as a whole, and not with the bar alone. Suppose the word '•premises" could he made to refer to the bar, apart altogether from the other portions of the promises? Mr. MaeDonahl (also appearing for defendant) said the primary object in keeping the bar was for the sale of aerated waters. His Worship: Would you not forget that the bar is kept for the primary object of, providing glasses, at a.charge of 3d for each time they were used? Afr. JlacDonald: Perhaps so, your Worship; and the price would be held to include a fire and other comforts for half an hour or more. His Worship intimated that'he would reserve judgment.