An Act to prevent persons on Turks Islands from retailing spirituous liquors, without being licenced, from trafficking with Slaves, and for other purposes therein mentioned, and to suspend so much of an Act, intituled, “An Act to amend...

WHEREAS the population of Turks Islands hath of late years considerably increased, and it hath been deemed necessary that certain regulations and rules should be adopted, relative to the retailers of spirituous liquors, and that such persons should contribute towards the support of this government; We, your majesty’s dutiful and loyal subjects, the assembly of the Bahama Islands, do most humbly beseech your Majesty that it may be enacted, and be it enacted by his honor William Vesey Munnings esquire, president and commander in chief in and over the said Bahama Islands, the council and assembly of the same, and it is hereby enacted and ordained by the authority of the same, That from and after the expiration of three months after the passing of this Act, it shall not be lawful for any person or persons whomsoever, on Turks Islands aforesaid, either by himself herself or themselves, or by any person or persons whomsoever to be employed for him her or them, or his her or their benefit, to retail any rum, punch, or any other mixture of distilled spirituous liquors or other liquors, without taking out a licence for that purpose, which licence shall be issued under the hand and seal of the governor or commander in chief for the time being, on a certificate been produced, under the hands of five resident justices of the peace, that the person applying for such a licence is duly qualified and fit to be trusted with such licence; and upon receiving a certificate from the deputy receiver general and treasurer of the said Islands, that the sum of ten pounds hath been duly paid for such licence, and upon payment of the usual fees established by law, which sum shall be remitted and paid into the public treasury of these Islands, for and towards the support of the government thereof, which licence shall be goods and in force for and during the term of one year from the date thereof, and no longer.

2d. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That no person or persons to whom such licence or licences as aforesaid shall be granted, shall sell or dispose of any rum or mixture of rum, or other distilled spirituous liquors, or other liquors, before six o’clock in the morning, or after eight o’clock in the evening, under a penalty of five pounds for every offence.

3d. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That no person or persons whomsoever, not having a license granted in manner hereinbefore directed and in force, shall vend, sell, dispose of or deliver any rum, mixture of rum, or any other distilled spirituous liquors, or other liquors by retail, under the penalty of fifty pounds; and that every such person to whom such license shall be granted, shall put his or her name in a conspicuous place over the door of his or her house or shop, with the words “licensed to retail spirituous liquors,” under the penalty of being deemed an unlicensed person, under this act, and punished accordingly.

4th. And whereas slaves are often encouraged to steal salt, to which they have access, by the keepers of dram shops and other evil disposed persons, who buy and receive the same; For remedy whereof, be it enacted, That from and after the expiration of three months after the passing of this Act, it shall and may be lawful to prosecute and punish any free person, buying or receiving any salt from any slave or slaves, as for a misdemeanor, by fine or imprisonment, although the slave or person who may have stolen the same be not convicted; which prosecution and conviction shall exempt such receiver from being punished as an accessary, if the principal should afterwards be convicted.

5th. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That any person within the said Turks Islands who shall sell to any person or person, at any one time less than three gallons of rum, or other distilled spirituous liquors, shall be deemed a retailer within the intent and meaning of this act.

6th. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That all offence against this act shall and may be lawfully heard, adjudged, tried and determined by any three or more justices of the peace resident on the said Turks Islands where the offence shall be committed; and all penalties and forfeitures imposed by this act, shall be levied under and by virtue of a warrant under the hands and seals of such justices of the peace, and shall be to the use of our sovereign lord the King, his heirs, and successors, for and towards the support of this government.

7th. And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That so much of an act, intituled, “An Act to amend an act made and passed in the forty-fifth year of his Majesty’s reign,” intituled, “An Act to prevent persons on the out Islands retailing spirituous liquors without being licensed, from trafficking with slaves, and for other purposes therein mentioned,” as applied to Turks Islands aforesaid, be suspended, and the same is hereby suspended accordingly.

8th. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That this Act shall continue and be in force from and after the expiration of three months from and after the passing of this Act, for and during the term of two years, and from thence to the end of the next session of the general assembly, and no longer.