480 



GAMING HOUSES. 



Eegnlations 

 regarding 

 billiard 

 licences. 



Kon- 



compliance 

 with these 

 regulations. 



Offences 

 against the 

 tenor of the 

 licence. 



"When bil- 

 liard playing 

 is not 

 allowed. 



every house, room, or place where a public billiard table, 

 or bagatelle board, or instrument used in any game of the 

 like kind is kept, at which persons are admitted to play, 

 except in houses or premises specified in a victualler's 

 licence (m). 



Justices of the peace are authorized at their general 

 annual licensing meeting to grant billiard hcences to such 

 persons as, in their discretion, they deem fit and proper to 

 keep such public billiard tables, on payment of six shillings, 

 and such licences are to continue a year(M). And no 

 appeal lies against a refusal by justices to grant a billiard 

 licence (o). The words " Licensed for Billiards " are to 

 be legibly painted in some conspicuous place on the outside 

 of the house and near the door (p). 



Every person neglecting to comply with these regulations 

 may be proceeded against as the keeper of a common 

 gaming house, and in addition to the penalty to which he 

 is liable for that offence, he may be fined any sum the 

 justices may fix upon of not more than 10/. for every day 

 in which such billiard table, &c. has been used ; or in the 

 justices' discretion may be committed to the House of 

 Correction, with or without hard labour, for any term not 

 exceeding one calendar month. A power of distress is 

 given for non-payment of any penalty ; but no person 

 summarily convicted can be indicted for the same offence (q). 



Persons offending against the tenor of their licences are 

 liable to the same penalties and punishments in the case of 

 a first, second, or third offence as keepers of inns, alehouses, 

 and victualling houses, under 9 Geo. 4, c. 61, and all the 

 provisions of that Act with respect to convictions, penalties, 

 &c. are to a2Dply to convictions for offences against the tenor 

 of the licences under this Act, and to the consequent pro- 

 ceedings (r). 



JSTo keeper of any public billiard table, &c., whether he 

 have a victualler's licence or not, is to allow any person to 

 play between one and eight in the morning of any day, or 

 at any time on Sundays, Christmas Day, Grood Friday, or 

 any day appointed to be kept as a public fast or thanks- 

 giving, and no victualler is to allow any person to play 

 during the time his premises are not by law allowed to be 



(m) 8 & 9 Yict. c. 109, s. 11, Ap- 

 pendix. 



(«) Ibid. s. 10. 



(o) Me parte Ghamterlain, 8 E. & 

 B. 644. 



(p) 8 & 9 Vict. c. 109, 5. 11. 

 (17) Ibid. Appendix. 

 ()■) Ibid. s. 12. But see 35 & 36 

 Vict. c. 94, s. 75, post, p. 481. 



