QUININE WINE.

NZ Truth, Issue 252, 23 April 1910, Page 4

QUININE WINE.

Grocers May Set! It.

"Truth" dealt fully with tlie crusade against Auckland grocers who were charged with selling teetotal tonic wines without a license some taiue ago. A grocer named Lawrence Carroll being 'lined by Magistrate Cufcten on the ground j that Steam's wine came within the definition of liquor, several other cases j t were adjourned pending the hearing, of an I appeal on behalf of Carroll, and the trade j has, {a. the interim, been dropped m the AoeSland police district, though' it flourishes every where else and could continue to do so fill some local magistrate decided that the sale of such patent medicines was* against the liquor law. During the week a reserved judgment of his Hotter Mr Justice Edwards m Carroll's case was' read by ttie Registrar, the conviction against him being quashed. Briefly, the judgment (which is of. considerable moment to : grocers and dealers m patent 'preparations) sweeps aside Uic magistrate's contention that the liquor contained alcohol and, therefore, if misused it might produce intoxication. His Honor was of opinion that these facts were ißsuißcjeEt to warrant conviction^ Bach bottle was wrapped m the manufacturer's circular, which said, inter alia, "We use wine, not because it is a beverage, but because it seems to be the best thing to dissolve the active- principles of cod Liver oil." If this was true, then the sale of the liquor was not an iairingement of the provisions of the Licensing Act. Ii it was untrue, it was incumbent upon the respondent to> prove the truth. Upon the facts his Honor heid that there was not sufficient evidence to support the decision of the magistrate, and he air lowed the .appeal, quashing the conviction. As the prosecution was instituted by the police, costs were not allowed-. .•--■- -r .-- Every grocer m Auckland has been unable to stock this class of patent preparation for many months, and sheaves rof summonses have, been held over await ing this decision. It is an ill-wind that blows no one any good, however, and what the grocers may have lost has beenthrown into the pockets of the 'chemists, who were not under a similar bar, it being quite sufficient to make an affirmation that it was required for medicinal purposes, to gets"qm9saae wine" at any •'^ruggisS-s store. . ,