LICENSEES MUST BE PROTECTED

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XV, Issue 884, 14 February 1907, Page 20

LICENSEES MUST BE PROTECTED

In the local Police Court last week before Mr. R. W. Dyer, S.M., a case was heard which illustrates one of the annoyances and sources of danger that hotel-keepers are subjected to. In this instance a young man named William Cameron was charged with refusing to quit the Queen’s Ferry Hotel when requested to do so, with assaulting Arthur Bach by striking him with his fist, and with using obscene language in Vulcan Lane. The accused pleaded not guilty to all three charges. Sub-Inspector Gordon said the case was a bad one. The accused entered the hotel in a d 1 "* ?.Isen condition, and refused to leave. A police constable ultimately persuaded him to go, but he returned, and, when the licensee tried to get him away, became violent, striking him several times with his fist. Outside he made use of the bad language. His Worship mentioned that Cameron had a very bad record, and deserved severe treatment. Licensees worked under a most stringent Act, and they must

be protected. For refusing to quit, Cameron was fined £4 or one month’s imprisonment, sentence of one month in gaol was imposed for the assault, while, for using obscene language,, he was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment, the terms to be cumulative.