ANTI-SHOUTING LAW

Nelson Evening Mail, 1 February 1917, Page 1

ANTI-SHOUTING LAW

BKEACIHIFJS IN. AUCKLANtD. STRONG COMMENT EEOM BES6H. ■ \ The frequency with which the antd- " shouting" regulations are broken waa a subject of strong comment by Mr TX ' Cutten, S.M., when giving hi® decision in the AticWland folice Court on Saturday in a case where a man was charged ■with "shouting." "Apparently the law against 'shouting' is being openly and flagrantly bro- . ken in Auckland,' said Mr Cutten. "Here is a case 'where a constable enters- a hotel in plain-clothes, for reasons of his own, and, although t/here were only five people in the 'bar, sees the law openly broken." It seemed a ■marvel-, lous thine, continued the' magistrate, , that an officer placed in such circumstances should be able, on his own evidence, as opposed to that- of~ five witnesses,, to tret a conviction. That .was the result of rigorou® cross-examination. -liter* were five people who had' varied their stories and statements, under animation, to such an extent variations' corroborated .the constable a evidence. Evidently breaches of the jejrulatioiis -wore so common that to* licensee, .bnrmaid, and the public con" doned them, and it showed a fad -want > of responsibility on the part of, thosej. concerned. That the constable s unsupported word had succeeded in carrying the conviction. tlhat the storv told-/.ipv the defence w.i!: not lie-Jiaoi no hesitation in. entering a conviction was also veryi reprrettable. \ | ; • The law, continued Mr Cutten, had). . been passed with the object of- protecting the worker, a man who could -nob afford to spend' much money on drink. Yet the working. man did • n<}t respect - the law However, it would: have to stop, and, if the fines -which, wer<?, at v ; present being imposed were not .a suf- ■ ; ficient deterrent, ■ stronger. measures j would have to taken. ■' -\j !