ANTI-SHOUTING CASES.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 July 1917, Page 6

ANTI-SHOUTING CASES.

LICENSEES ACQUITTED. 'At the New Plymouth Magistrate's Court yesterday, before Mr. A. Crooke, S.M., James Mc.L'ean, iicclisce of the Criterion Hotel, was charged with a. breach of the War Regulations 'n having permitted a man named Wilson to treat two other men named respectively Scott and Kayley. Mr. A X. Johnstone appeared for the defendant.

Sub-Inspector Mcllveney said his Worship would remember ' that Wilson, Scott, and Ilayley had been convicted of a breach of the anti-trcating regulations.- In this case lie. had nothing to justify him in bringing the bar attendant before the court; be did not think the attendant had any knowledge whatever where the money hadjcome from, each of the men having apparently paid .for his own drink, and Wilson stating that he gave the others the money outside, at the back of the hotel. As to the defendant himself the police did not allege for a moment he was cognisant of -what took place, but under the War Iteguiations when persons were convicted of treating, the licensee was deemed to 9iave permitted it unless he could prove to the contrary and that he had used reasonable and proper precautions to prevent any such offences. He (the sub-inspector) did not think that in this case the licensee had the slightest knowledge of the treating, but it was for him to satisfy his Worship that he had taken reasonable precautions. The licensee gave evidence to the effect that he had warning notices against treating posted in the bar, and had personally instructed the attendants not to permit anything of the kind being done. IHis Worship dismissed the information.

A similar charge aaainst Spencer Ridgley, l ; censee of the Terminus Hotel, was also dismissed, the circumstances being the same, with the exception that Wilson in his evidence in the previous oases said that he couTU not remember whether he had given the money to the other men outside or inside the hotel.