The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1872-08-24 00:00:00

THE NEW LICENSING ACT.

The statute for regulating the sale of intoxicating
liquors (nth and :16th Vie., cap. 9-1), which received
the Royal ftivient at the prorogation, has been issued.
There are 90 sections in the measure and two schedules,
the second reciting 16 statutes wholly or partially re-
pealed. Its objects are, according to the preamble, to
amend the law for the sale by retail of intoxicating
liquors, and the regulations of public houses and other
places in which intoxicating liquors are sold, and to
make further provisions in respect to the grant of new
licences for the sale of intoxicating liquors and the
better prevention of drunkennells. The Act is not to
extend to Sec tland.

The first part of the statute relate-a to illicit sales of
spirits, and declares the penalties to be enforced or the
imprisonment to be awarOed. Any spirit Fold to a
person "apparently under 1.6 years" to entail a penalty
of 20a. for the first, and 40s. for a second or subsequent
offence.

The sale of spirits by retail to be by standard
measure.

The names of persons licensed to be affixed to the
premises.
- •• •

tinder the heading "Offences against Public Order,"
• person found drunk is to be liable to penalties in-
creasing from 10a. for a first to 40s, for subsequent
offences. "If any licensed person permits drunkenness
or any violent, muerebsome, or riotous conduct to take
place on his premises, or sells any intoxicating liquor
to any drunken person, he shall be liable to a penalty
not exceeding for the first offence RIO, and not exceed-
ing for the second and any subsequent offence 1.10."
There are penalties for keeping disorderly houses, for
harbouring constables, and for permitting gaming.

Drunkards can now be excluded from licensed ,
premises. "Any such persons who upon being re-
quested, in pursuance of this section, by such licensed '
person, or his agent or servant, or any constable, to
quit such premises, refuses or fails so to do, shall be
liable to a penalty not exceeding 1. and all constables
are required, on the demand of such licensed person,
agent, or servant, to expel, or assist in expelling, every '
such person from such premises, and may use such force
as may be required for that purpose. The court com-
mitting any person to prison for non-payment of any
penalty under this section may order him to be im-
prisoned with hard labour."
The next subject in the Act is the adulteration of
intoxicating liquors. Any person who mixes or sells
any liquor adulterated with cocculus indicua, chloride
of sodium (otherwise common salt), copperas, opium,
Indian hemp, strychnine, tobacco, darpel seed,
extract of logwood, salts of zinc or lead, alum, and
any extract or compound of any of the above in-
gredients, or any ingredient eeleterions to health, to
be liable for the first offence to a penalty not ex-
ceeding £2O, or to imprisonment for a month, with or
without hard labour; and for the second or subsequent
offence, £lOO, or three months' bard labour; and to be
disqualified for a period not less than two yew s and not
exceeding ten years, with other public exposure on such
convictions. murder to teat adulterations, any superin-
tendent of police or other constable, authorised by
writing by the police authority so to do, or any officer
of Inland Revenue, may procure samples of any in-
toxicating liquor from any person selling or keeping or
exposing the same for sale. He may purchase or re-
quire the vendor to show him and allow him to inspect
any vessel containing liquor, and to obtain samples of
such intoxicating liquor on payment or tender of the
value of such samples. The same to be analysed and
proceedings adopted. Licensed houses may be closed
by justices in case of a riot.
As to the times of closing, premises in the City of
London or liberties thereof, or any pariah subject to
the Metropolitan Board of Works, or within the four
muss radius from ('haring-cross, on Sunday, Christmas
Day, and Good Friday, during the whole day before one
o'clock. and between three and six o'clock in the after-
noon, and after the hour of eleven, of the clock at night,
and on other days before five o'clock on the following
morning, shall be closed ; if situated beyond those plaries,
on Sunday. Chrietmaa Day, and Good Friday during the
whole day berme the hour of half-past 12 (or, if the
licensing justices direct, 1) in the afternoon, and be-
tween the hours of half-past 2 (or if one be the horn- of
opening, then 3), and 6 in the afternoon, and after the
, hour of 10 (or if the licensing justices direct, any hour
' not earlier than ii and not later than 11) at night; and
on all other days before the hour of 6 (or if the licens-
ing justices dire, t. any hour not earlier than land not
later than 7) in the morning sad after the hour of 11
(or if the licensing justices direct, any hour not
earlier than 10 and not later than 12) at night. Any
offence for keeping open may be eadorsed on the
licence. The provisions are not to exclude a person
licensed from willing to bona-fide travellers or to
persons lodging in his house. "Nothing in this section
contained shall preclude the sale at any time at a rail-
way station of intoxicating liquors to persons arriving
at or departing from such station by railroad. An
order for the alteration of the closing hours may be
made by the licensing justices, and also in Middlesex
and Surrey at any time before the next general annual
licensing or any !pedal sessions summoned, provided
21 days' notice as given. Any order made by the
licensing justices for the alteration of the closing hours
is not to come into force for • month after the date,
and is to be advertised. Penalties are to be imposed
on persons found on premises during the prohibited
hours.

A local authority of any licensing district, upon the
production of such evidence as may be deemed suffi-
cient to show that it is necessary or desirable so to do
for the accommodation of any considerable number of