Mexborough & Swinto Times, February 2nd
The Supply of Beer to Under Age Children
In this district there is a bylaw which says that Publicans may not supply either beer or spirits to a child under 12 years of age, and all our innkeepers have been duly warned to this effect.
Now, as I have before mentioned, this is a ridiculous and absurd order, and for the life of me I cannot see where the wisdom of it comes from. Let me give an instance proving its absurdity.
Last Sunday morning, about half past 12, I happened to be in the neighbourhood of a public house in Conisborough, and there were several children under 12 years of age fetching beer for the Sunday dinner.
Now don’t run away with the idea that the publician was serving these children with beer. No youngster went near to the house, and when a youth came who was over 12 years of age, the youngster asked him to get his beer out as well.
By this way, I saw several youngsters of eight or nine years of age, fetching dinner beer.
Now, I should like to know if any of the wiseacres who frame this law, could tell me what extra harm these children would have received by being allowed to just step inside to be served.