FLOUTING LAW

NZ Truth, Issue 1173, 24 May 1928, Page 6

FLOUTING LAW

A Question Publicans Seldom Ask *

Fortunately, juvenile inebriation is not a grave problem m New Zealand. Yet quite noteworthy is the number of youthful transgressors, who, appearing before a police court, attribute their misdemeanors to drunkenness.

CELDOM, however, will the bench, knowing the accused to be under age, inquire as to where the liquor was procured. . Although, m many cases, the youths have merely lent themselves to what they considered to be a "manly" role at some high-spirited party or other gathering, there is ever the likelihood of their having been ready -spenders at the bar of some hotel. ..,'•

Recently a,t Auckland, Magistrate Hunt's inquiry as to where a youth of 18 had procured the liquor which was held responsible for his accosting a woman m Queen Street, elicited the information that accused had spent the. greater part of an afternoon m a city bar-room. > , .

The question arises whether a prosecution of the' 'license.©" of 'the hotel should follow.

Possibly -., one or two such prosecutions would awaken the hotel proprietary to a more acute ■sense of their moral obligation tp the country's .young 1 manhood which stands behind this particular clause of th,e Licensing Act. Without losing sight of the difficulty so often presented m discerning a youth's correct age, there is ample jus--t.iflcation for the advocacy of a more diligent exercise of discretion 6n the part of bar-room employees.l Licensing 1 committees-shoujd impress upon hotel -keepers the absolute necessity for the employment of barmen — and women— upon whose assiduity and conscientiousness they can place every reliance. . >

No bar-tertder should, where a doubt exists m regard to a customer's age, show the least compunction m refusing to serve liquor, more especially when there is the slightest sign of previous imbibing. . i

Knowing the easy-going policy of publicans m this respect, also the fact that prosecutions are almost unheard of, there is. every; reason to suggest that the police — when making their usual tour of city bar-rooms— -might 3<eep a weather-eye open for youthful compotators. .