WAR LEGISLATION

North Otago Times, Volume CIII, Issue 13655, 24 August 1916, Page 1

WAR LEGISLATION

N ; EW REGULATIONS EXPLAINED. STATEMENT BY" ATTOfiNEY-" ' .'■'■ GENERAL, (Per Press Asioriulion.) WELLINGTON, -August 22. ' Commenting ou the regulations issued to-day under the War RegulationsAct,' the lion. A. L, llerdmau says tho public should have no difficulty iu tin- • dci'staiulimj them; They relate (a) To treating (b) To sly grog-sclliug ' , (c) To the supply of drink to women; and (d) To prostitution. The regulations dealing with the subject of trcatiug will probably arouse tho greatest interest, says tho Minister. The general effect of tho regulations is, With, 11 slight exception, to make it unlawful for anyone'to purcliaso liquor on' licensed premises for 'consumption by anyone else on or about the licensed premises. If a person wants liquor hp must purchase it himself ami not depend upon the generosity'of sbmcono else for his entertainment, There arc exceptions to the general' regulations. A person may 'purcliaso liquor for another as part of a meal, an'd a boarder or a bona lido resident' person, not in the'bar., "Licensed premises" include eliui'lereil eliibs, uiul "bar" includes premises which aro principally or exclusively used for tho sale, supply, or consumption of intoxicating liquor. The term "licensed premises" also includes a place where liquor is sold pursuant to a. conditional license, and the term "bar" will cover the room known as the bottle, store oi bottle 'department on licensed premises, if such room is principally or exclusively used for the sale of liquor. Not only is the person who treats liable under the regulations, but the person who is treated is also liable, and a licensee or'bar attendant who knowingly sells liquor iu respect of which an offence has been committed is likewise liable to be punished under the regulations, The supply of drink to women in hotels is dealt with by the regulation which provides that no woman (other than -the licensee or a servant of the liceusee or a member of the licensee's family) shall, at any time after six o'clock in the evening, enter or remain iii tire bar of any licensed premises, or loiter about the entrance to any such bar. The sly grog-seller is.dealt with in re-, guhition No. 11, which provides that a constable may, without warrant, enter any premise's; whether licensed oi" not, upon which he reasonably,.sus-" ' '; an offence against the provisions ~ i " Licensing Act, or against the War Regulations Act, has been, or is about to be committed.' ' > The regulations dealing with houses of ill-fame are comprehensive, the Mininter went on to say. The difficulty that has existed in regard to what aro knowu as; "one-woman brothels" has been overcome by providing that a ■'•house of' ill-fame" means any premises used for the purpose of prostitution, whether by one woman or more thu'u one. ■'.Under the regulations'the following persons ;iro liable:— ' ■ (1) Persons who keep, manage,, oc ciipy. or reside-in n house of illfame, or who act or assist in tho keeping or management of t-lio ■ house. (2) Persons who permit their premises to be used as a house of illfame. (■'>) A lessor, or landlord, who lets a ' house with the knowledge, or with. • a reasonable ground for suspicion. : that it will be used as a house of ill-fame. (4) Women who loiter in a "public place" as' defined in the Police . , Offences Act, for Hie purposes of prostitution. (5) Male persons over the age of fifteen years who live wholly or in part upon the earnings of a prostitute. The regulations provide that, a Justice of the Peace may issue a warrant : to a police officer not below the rank of sergeant to ciiter premises for the purpose of detecting breaches of this regulation, but such police officer, when he makes a search, must be accompanied' by another police officer. This regulation has been framed so as to ensure that there shall not be any unwarrantable iiiterferroiice by tho police with respectable members of the community, A further rcgulnlion provides that the Commissioner of Police may make an order prohibiting; a person convicted under these regulations relating to houses -of ill-fame from residing al any iiine within six mouths after tin; dale of conviction within lil'ly miles () r thu place named in Ihe order. The. Minister says || K . regulations, which will commence lo operale ou the 2Sth insl,, may appear to be drastic, but Parliament, in ell'ecl, declared that I hey are necessary a I Ihe present time, ami lliey must be obeyed. "1 ewci lieeiiHTH of lintels, lliuw responsible i'nr the eonducl of chartered chilis, and Iho public generally lo support Ihf aulbolilies in Iheir ell'orls hi administer the law. The police will lie specially inslriicle.l lo endeavour In di'tccl breaches of Ihe law, ami every effort will be made Id see Hint it is .slrieli.v obeyed.'.' The penally for a breach of the regulaliniis is a line uol exceeding .CliJO, or imprisonment for a term uol exceeding twelve mouths. Other regulations which will empower the police authorities hi summon offending licensees of lintels jo appear before licensing committees to answer allegalimi.s nf misconduct are being prepared', and will be gazetted shortly.