Odger's English Common Law

230 OFFENCES AGAINST MORALITY AND PUBLIC DECENCY.
obscene books and photographs could be obtained, was held,
on proof that obscene books and photographs had in fact
been obtained through the post by means of such advertise-
ments, to have been rightly convicted of aiding and abetting
others to commit this offence. 1 The Postmaster-General has
power to prevent the delivery by post of any obscene or
indecent prints, photographs or books. 2
By section 3 of the Indecent Advertisements Act, 1889, 8
"Whoever affixes to or inscribes on any house, building,
wall, hoarding, gate, fence, pillar, post, board, tree or any
other thing whatsoever, so as to be visible to a person being
in or passing along any street, public highway or footpath,
and whoever affixes to or inscribes on any public urinal, or
delivers or attempts to deliver, or exhibits, to any inhabitant
or to any person being in or passing along any street, public
highway or footpath, or throws down the area of any house,
or exhibits to public view in the window of any house or
shop, any picture or printed or written matter which is of an
indecent or obscene nature, shall, on summary conviction in
manner provided by the Summary Jurisdiction Acts, be liable
to a penalty not exceeding forty shillings, or, in the discre-
tion of the Court, to imprisonment for any term not exceeding
one month, with or without hard labour." Section 6 provides
that " any constable or other peace officer may arrest without
warrant any person whom he shall find committing any
offence against this Act."
Habitual Drunkenness.
An "habitual drunkard" is "a person who not being
amenable to any jurisdiction in lunacy is notwithstanding
by reason of habitual intemperate drinking of intoxicating
liquor at times dangerous to himself or to others, or incapable
of managing himself and his affairs." 4
The Inebriates Act,
1898, 5 makes provision for detention of such persons in
certified reformatories.
1 B. v. De Marny, [1907] 1 K. B. 388.
2 8 Edw. VII. c. 48, x. lfi.
» 52 & 53 Vict. c. 18.
' 42 & 43 Vict. o. 19, s. 3.
6 61 & 62 Vict. c. 60, sa. 1, 2.