LIOUOR AND COERCION.

Auckland Star, Volume L, Issue 122, 23 May 1919, Page 5

LIOUOR AND COERCION.

NOT A GOOD DEFENCE. A KING COUNTRY SALIC. U'.j Telegraph.- tiwu I'orrespun.leiit.) TAl"MAl'CN'l'l, tin- day. Mr. I-:. I'urton, S..\L, delivered judgmeni this morning in the ca.-c I'obce v Florence Arabella (!uy, married woman charged with keeping liquor for sale Sergeant .Miller prosecuted and Mr. A _. Scaton defended.

The magistrate stated that he came to the concilia ion that the liquor, whether kept by defendant or her has Land, was in quantities far in excess ol that required by accused and her family, and also ' far in excess of the requirements of the reasonable exercise of private hospitality. Defendant at about l-_. 4."» a.m. on April 11th last delivered a bottle of whisky, the property of her husband, to a man named SouU' in the absence of her hiitslmnd, yet almost immediately after denie 1 to the police having seen South that night, but later admitted giving him a bottle ot whisky, and that she actually received L 1 from South at tin- tune of handing the liquor over. Defendant was not charged with aiding, assisting, counselling, or procuring the < ommi-.-ion of an offence. It had been held in the cases cited by the magistrate that a married woman was deprived of tile defence ol coercion by her husband where xueii coercion does not amount to compulHion by threats. Tiie presumption of compulsion under common law In the case cited only extended to instances where tho husbaml was present at the commission of the offence, and was never a defence to offences committed In the h us-band's absence. Defendant had knowingly aided her husband in the offence of keeping liquor for sale, and would be convicted and fined ClO and costs. Mr. Seat on gave notice of appeal.