THE LIQUOR TRADE.

Timaru Herald, Volume XIIC, Issue 13656, 27 July 1908, Page 5

THE LIQUOR TRADE.

A VISITORS OPINION.

AFFAIRS IN INVERCARGILL.

Per Press Association,

AUCKLAND, July 25. In the course of an interview to-day Air Geo. Harnett, manager of the Britten football team, speaking on no-license said : "There was one thing however.that struck us very much and that was the diffeireno* between the hotels in the prohibited .districts from those where license ruks.Tho comparison is all in favour of the licensed places. Notably was this the case in -Invercargill where we were surprised to find that no licensed houses existed. Ttiey 'were all temperance boaxding-hou6si. Some of our experiences were humourously strang3. In luvercargill, for. instance, we could not get refreshments ourselves, but on the Wednesday morning of our I saw drunken men at 9 o'clock" in iho streets, which astonished -me, and later in the evening I saw more drunken people iu Invercargill than I Lave seen in any other city of the Dominion.: This seems to show that where there is no license liquor can be obtained, and it has tk> be obtained on the sly. It is doubtless of the worst description from doubtful sources. I learnt that drinking in private houses down there was daily ..on the inciease. This leads to the same ■ evil as* Ihe grocers' licenses do in England. Personally I may say that I have always taken a glass of beer, iu striot moderation. The locker system for controlling liquor seems to me to be another very undesirable method of dealing with alcoholic refreshment; in fact the whole thing seems to be too full of deceit and fraud to appeal to those that desire to see a nation built up of strong clean • characters." "From your experience of Invercargill you would not! then recommend any other place in the dominion to follow its example?" Mr Harnett was asked. "In the best mberests of the community, most' assuredly not."

BREACHES OF THE ACT. CHEISTCHURCH, July 25. At the Magistrate's Court to-day thff Timaru Brewery Company was charged with failing to supply sufficients..particulars in regard to a consignment of liquor to the Clerk of the Court at.Ashburtq.ny ; :a. a .no-license-district.. It was explained that it was a pure error, but the Magistrate (Mr V. G. Day) impend a fine of 20s and costs. '•, ~ . ..'..•, Vincent and Co., were suniorly charged and a similar fine was/inflicted. In the case of the Grown Brewery CoMr- Louisson pointed out that owiug -t°' a clerical error thV'"return" had' been made out! as eight dozen half and half,.. Anyone knew that that "meant half istoutalid half ale, and therefore the breach was only trivial. The Magistrate' said that there :was no such term recognised by the Act. bufcit was: a technical'breach'; in fact, the mosfc ; tlechnical' breach that had fore him and he thought' he.Jwas jusMed in dismissing the ' ~,..,., SEIZURE OF LIQUOR. ''" • \ OAJIARjU, July, 26.. A raid was niade oh uu Saturday by the police »^'. 7' quantity ° f liquor was seized. A pfosoc'utioh will Ipllow. There 'was a previous cohviclaon.