BREACH OF THE LICENSING ACT.

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 854, 31 March 1903, Page 3

BREACH OF THE LICENSING ACT.

A HEAVY PENALTY,

John Cusack, licensee o£ the Boya Hotel, Christchurch, was charged before Mr E. Beetham, S.M., with povrmtting drunkenness to take place on his licensed premises, and also with selling liquor to Catherino Stevenson while she was in a state of intoxication. . , i Mr Harper appeared for defondant, who pleaded " not guilty ” to the charges. Evidence was given by the police to the , effect that the woman, in an intoxicated ■ condition, was found at 7 a.m. on the morning of March 3rd in the bar of the hotel with a “ shandy ” in front of her. The woman was arrested for drunkenness, taken to the lock-up, and subsequently fined. . Tho evidence for the defonco was to the effect that the woman had asked the barman for a light shandy, which was drawn. Tho police entered at that moment, and stated that the woman was prohibited, whereupon the barman threw tho drink into a bucket. „ ~ In giving judgment his Worship said that the supplying of liquor to drunken persons was the supremo offence that a licensee could commit, for every person that committed a crimo when drunk had been previously supplied with liquor while in a state of intoxication. Ho thought that this liquor business was tho source of every evil under the sun, bar none, and the main source of tho evil was the supply of liquor to men and womon while they were drunk. It was the business of the barman to ascertain that the woman was sober beforo ho supplied her. Tho sooner the holders of licenses took stops to carry out their obligations in their ontirety, and in utter and absolute strictness, the better i it would be for them ; if they could not see ; the handwriting on the wall, others could. Public opinion had risen to such a height that people would not stand these breaches of tho licensing regulations. Ho was determined to stamp the thing out if he could do it. The defendant would be fined *lO, aDd his license would bo endorsed.