DRINK AND CRIME

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 120, 23 May 1945, Page 6

DRINK AND CRIME

RELATION DEFINED

EVIDENCE TO COMMISSION

"Drink is not responsible in 75 per cent of our serious crimes, such as murder, forgery and false pretence," stated James Sweeney, superintendent of police, in Auckland, when giving evidence before the Royal Commission on Licensing ■ to-day. Wi less stated that he had had 40 yea *s' service in the police and that in l's experience a person committing any of the crimes enumerated wan id all his mental faculties. Re >rring to the supply of liquor to 3V. i oris, witness thought that native > should not be supplied except on the pi -anises. He considered that the penalises for licensing breaches should be increased. In the case of islanders the same provisions as for Maoris should apply. Hindus, he said, caused a lot of trouble by supplying liquor to natives, and he advocated that they should be allowed to consume liquor only on licensed premises. , Witness considered that any new licenses granted should be taken froni districts such as the Thames and Coromandel, which had an excess of their requirements. He thought that no-license districts should be abolished, stating that it was easier from a police point of view to control the hotels than to stop sly grogging. Managers of hotels, he. thought, should be paid at a fixed rate, instead of on a percentage basis. Table System Not Favoured The police'would be saved a good deal of trouble if: the alcoholic strength - of liquor was defined, continued witness. He was not in favour of amusements or recreation facilities being provided in hotels and he was -not an advocate of the table system of consuming liquor, on the grounds that it was difficult to determine under such a system when a person, was in a state of intoxication. Vertical he eaid r Vdid nc* encourage drinking to • the same extent- as at the tables. Witness said • there had been an increase of' drinkine by women in lounges and also at race meetings. Dealing with the hours of sale, he thought these should be from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and no liquor- sold even to guests outside, these hours, as such sale only led to difficulties in the licensing laws. Mr. Justice Smith: Do you mean to exclude serving of liquor in the dining'.room from six to eight?— Yes, you. would have people devising some scheme for obtaining liquor. _ The witness expressed the opinion that no person under 21. even though a lodger, should be supplied with liquor. Employment in the bar was not suitable for women, and registration of barmaids should, therefore, not be permitted. Witness considered that oarmen should: be registered as it would make illegal sale of liquor more difficult, licensee. Anyone convicted of bookmaking or offences involving dishonesty should be prohibited from acting as a barman: . / At this stage the luncheon adjournment was taken.