THE TRANSFERRED CHRISTMAS.

Timaru Herald, Volume XCIV, Issue 14341, 13 January 1911, Page 6

THE TRANSFERRED CHRISTMAS.

HOW'ARE HOTELS AFFECTED. Per Press Association. WESTPORT, Jan. 12. Before .Mr Rawson, S.M., to-day, Martin Ryan, licensee of the Grand Hotel, was charged with illegally exposing liquor for sale, and with selling liquor-on Monday, December 26th, such day, according to the Public Holidays Act passed last session, being deemed to be Christmas Day, as that day had fallen on a Sunday. Counsel for. defendant/ Mr Molony, argued lengthily that the Legislature did' not intend to make hotels close on that day, any matters affecting tho liquor trade being either specially legislated.for in the form of Licensing Acts, or expressly and explicitly stated in such other Acts, where the liquor trade was to be affected. A publican s license was granted from last Jnno to nest May, and the legislature would not reduce, the privileges under, or the property held in, such license except by some form of compensation. The legislation was not intended to be retrospective. Police Inspector Black, for the p'O-secution,-argued that a liberal interpretation of the section of the Act, not the intention of the legislature, should be accepted. . . The Magistrate reserved his cecisiori. In similar charges against Patrick: Ryan, licensee of the Albion liotel, and in charges of being illegally on licensed premises against three n*cn, judgment was also reserved.