FLY-GROG SELLING.

Oamaru Mail, Volume II, Issue 431, 14 September 1877, Page 2

FLY-GROG SELLING.

A deputation from th.3 Licensed Victuallers' Association, consisting of Messrs. Longford, Richard--on, an 1 Grant, waited upon the Municipal Council at it' meeting last evening ■ with a view of so'ic'ting the 000-eration o-eration of the Conno 1 in their effort* no put a stop to the system of sly-grog selling carried on in town. ('ouncil'or Procter introduced the deputati >i), a d >-poke strongly against the hareface i manner in which the objectionable practice was canned on. ?> r. K. i:iciiAKns;» T , on behalf of the deputation, state i that the Association had lately gone to great expense with'a. vu'\v of brining prosecu ions transgre 'S"rs of the law. He poiived out that as the i ouuc 1 was the recipient of the license fees, it hhou d l.e prepared t- give ths Association . ver\ a sistance in its efforts to pn* down-the practice. He sngg-te. I that thi- mi-ht be done b • g'anting one half of fine to the informer in ca<es of liquor selling without li-en-i s. Ho po'nted out thegreit injustice d. n-3 to tin; piiUie;ui-, who were compelled to pay for licenses to sell liquor, while per sons were permitted to sell liquor day and ni'-lit without paying a single nemiy tor the privil3«'e He also suggested tb t the Council shmild suggest to'the Resident Magistrate to iufi ct ill* full petvdtv upon persons convicted of breaches of the law. A conversational discussion took place, during which Councillor Headland expressed the opinion that sly-grog selling -vvou d never be put down until such time as a properly appointed officer was empowered to enter bonrdmg-houses and seize, any liquo'- he might find ou the premises above a (.er ain quantity. Councidor Gibbs said the prnctice lind gone on for years, and had now assumed very serious proportion:!. His Worship' the Mayor said that the evil was not only prevalent in Oamari, but mentioned a village not far off, consisting of about thirty houses, in which it was confidently asserted that one-half of the houses • were s'y-grog shops. Mr. Longford, as one of the deputation, sa : d that there was no other town in New Ze daud where sly-grog selling was carried on to such an extent. Ater some further discussion.

His Worship the Mayor, intimated that the Council, would take the matt-er into its serious consideration,, and give the deputa-

tion an answer. The deputation then thanked the Council an I u ithdrew. On the motion f-f Oounci'lor Procter, ••seconded by Councillor Head land, "it was resolved tha\a sp cial meeting of the Council should be held on evening next with a \i:w to taking "into consideration the best means of putting down the system of sly-grog selling. .