RETAILERS OF CIDER.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18885, 6 December 1924, Page 12

RETAILERS OF CIDER.

AN UNWITTING OFFENCE. WELLINGTON PROSECUTION. [BY telegraph. —OWN correspondent.] WELLINGTON. Friday. The merits of cider were discussed a' the Magistrate's Court to-day, when several shopkeepers were charged with selling champagne cider without a license. They were Augustus Hope, Mary Jane Mills, and Florence Ada Pearce. Loo Jung and Arthur Shee were charged with permitting the salo of cider. Sub-Inspector Hollis stated that the proceedings were taken under section 3 of the Licencing Act, 1908, which prohibited cider from being sold in a quantity or less than two gallons. Cider had been sold in the city for some considerable time, and was being sold to anyone who applied for it. Complaints had been received and as a result the present proceedings resulted. The cider had been purchased by the police in single bottles. When it was examined by the Government Analyst six samples were each found to contain the following percentages of alcohol: 14.42, 14.49, 15.79, 14.66, 14.78, and 14.50. The sub-inspector stated that he understood the cider 'was made from Nelson apples. He pointed out that it was necessary for the defendants to hold a license if they wished to sell intoxicating liquor. After hearing counsel the magistrate said he thought ia most of the cases thedefendants were quite innocent of the law. It was obvious that the action of the defendants was honest, otherwise they would not have advertised the cider for salo in their windows.

Each defendant was convicted and ordered to pay costs, 12s. The magistrate added that no doubt the publicity given would be sufficient, but ho issued a warning that if future cases came before him he would have to impose a heavier penalty.