SUNDAY TRADING.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 6, Issue 1594, 28 January 1884, Page 2

SUNDAY TRADING.

In a case brought at the Christchurch Police Court against a publican who was charged with a breach of the Licensing Act, the defendant said he took reasonable precautions to satisfy himself that persons applying at his hotel for liquor on Sundays were bona Jide travellers before serving them; On being pressed, be said he asked everybody who came if they were travellers! If they answered in tho' affirmative he served them. Sometimes, but not always, ho questioned them as to where they came from, The Magistate (Mr Beetham) said that .reading of fcho Act rather surprised him. If correct, it meaut in fact the'ihdiscrimiiiate supply of liquor on Sunday to all comers. He could not for a moment admit that the defendant had taken a correct view of his responsibility. ■ Mr Spackmanu, I who appeared for the defence, asked whether His Worship would give an opinion as to what were "reasonable precautions."—His Worship: Certainly not. When cases are brought before me I will say whether I think proper precautions have or have not been taken; but it is not my duty or intention to teach licensees how to comply with tho Act. I do, however, lay down now that a publican must not rest satisfied with merely accepting a man's word that he is ji traveller; or, at any rate, that amount of precaution will not satisfy me.Therefore, the parlies interested had better take notice of what I now say."—"Press."