“A PUBLIC PLACE.”

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LII, Issue 16946, 30 January 1926, Page 12

“A PUBLIC PLACE.”

BILLIARD SALOON INCLUDED. INTERPRETATION OF THE ACT. s The scope of the term “a public place,” used so frequently, in the Felice Offences Act, was traversed by Mr. If. W. Roynton, S.M., in the Police Court in Auckland, in delivering a reserved judgment, in connection with a charge against; a man of using obscene language in a public billiard room, , , The magistrate said the, definition nf the term mentioned various classes of premises but made- no reference to a billiard room. A public billiard room was run. for the profit of the proprietor and was dependent on the patronage, of the public. It was licensed and subject to restrictions in hours of business,' A shop had been held to be a public place. Although not, frequented by women and children a billiard was equally a public place. Even a private house or a garden would temporarily come within tlio Act if open to the public for charitable purposes. “The tendency in Gaining Acts and similar provisions for correcting abuses is to extend and not restrain the meaning of ‘place,’” he added. “.There is no violence done to the spirit of the Act in including a billiard 'room as a public place.” Defendant was convicted and was ordered to pay 9s. costs.