WHISKY SOLD BY AUCTION.

Otago Witness, Issue 3832, 23 August 1927, Page 49

WHISKY SOLD BY AUCTION.

UNCLAIMED RAILWAY PACKAGES A NOVEL PROSECUTION. WELLINGTON, August 19. Holding that it was the prerogative of the Minister of Railways even to open a bar on railway premises if he so desired. Mr \. W. 'Blair, in the Magistrate's Court tc-day asked Mr E. Page. SAL, to dismiss a charge against Cecil Milham Price, auctioneer, of having sold at auction a quantity of less than five gallons of liquor. The facts as admitted by both the prosecution and the defence were that Mr Price, acting on the instructions of the Railway Department, auctioned a number of unclaimed packages, among which were two cases of whisky, lhe sale, which took place on railway premises, was duly advertised. “The Minister of Railways can sell liquor on departmental premises in any way he likes —wholesale, retail, Or by auction,” said Mr Blair. “I don’t suppose he has ever thought of doing it. but no doubt lie could greatly increase the revenue if he opened bars at certain towns in New Zealand.—(Laughter.) He is free to convert any railway station rooms into well-fitted bars.”

In suppoit of his contention, counsel referred the magistrate to section 201 of the Licensing Act. Mr Price, he said, was the Ministers agent, and was only exercising the privileges given to the Crown by the Act. The department had approached the police and pointed this out, but the inspector had insisted on going on with the case M hy, counsel could not understand. After Mr Page had said that he would lake time to consider the matter, Mr Blair asked that the question of allowing costs against the police be entertained. He maintained that if one department put another to unnecessary expense, it should have to foot the bill.

The Magistrate replied that lie would consider this matter also.