Prohibition.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5256, 11 May 1895, Page 4

Prohibition.

One of the zeal grievances under which publicans are suffering was brought into prominence at tho Magistrate's Court; yesterday morning. It appears from the evidence adduced before Mr H. W. Bishop, S.M., that a ** prohibited person " named Nixon went to one of the principal hotels ia the city, where he waa entirely unknown, and obtained a small glasß of beer. It was clearly shown that the barmaid who supplied the liquor had no means of knowing that Nixon was the person mentioned in the official notice served some time before in the usual way upon her employer. The man went to the house sober and well-dressed, and gavo his order with tho easy confidence which belongs to the ordinary well-to-do customer. It naturally never occurred to tho young lady in charge of the bar to ask any questions, and Nixon drank his beer and walked away. A moment later a younger mau entered the bar and announced that Nixon was the subject of a prohibition order. Thero waß no doubt that a technical ofEence, for which tho unfortunate publican wfto responsible, had beon committed, and ia due course an information wrß laid. When the case' came before the Court, the facts were admitted, but Mr Bisbop, exercising the discretion with which ho is invested, refused to convict. Members o! the extreme temperance party will probably find fauit with this decision, but a large majority of the community will doubtlesß agree with the Magistrate that it would have been grossly unjust to punish tho publican for an aot which no amount of caro oa his part could have avoided. Tho publicans' griovimci i3 tint taoro aro Magistrate* who, unlike Mr Bishop, make no allowance for idefeotoin-tha.lftH*,