2. Interpretation In this Act unless the context otherwise requires— “ area ” means licensing area ; “ area of a local authority ” means any Local Government Area under the Local Government (Urban Areas) Act, or the area of jurisdiction of any District Council under the Local Government (District Councils) Act, as the case may be; [Cap. 22:01] [Cap. 22:02] “ auctioneer’s temporary licence ” has the meaning ascribed to that term by section 25 ; “ beer ” includes ale, stout, lager, and any other description of beer, and any liquor which is made or sold as a description of beer or as a substitute for beer and which on analysis of a sample thereof at any time is found to contain more than two per centum of proof spirits , but does not include opaque beer or traditional beer ; “ beer-hall ” means any premises within the area of any local authority which are maintained and operated by such local authority and in which the said local authority sells or permits the sale of opaque beer for consumption on or off the premises ; “ Board ” means a Local Licensing Board established pursuant to section 5 ; “ brewer ” means any person who by a process of fermentation brews beer from any cereal, tuber or root, or from hops, or from any concentrate, extract, product or combination thereof; “ canteen ” means any premises in which the sale of liquor to— (a) members of the Malawi Army, or any specified class of members of the Malawi Army, or their guests, is carried on under the authority of the Minister responsible for Army matters; or (b) members of the Malawi Police Force, or any specified class of members of the Malawi Police Force, or their guests, is carried on under the authority of the Minister responsible for Police matters; or (c) members of the University of Malawi, or any specified class of members of the University of Malawi, or their guests, is carried on under the authority of the Minister responsible for Education; “ cider ” includes perry; “ commercial brewer ” means any brewer who brews beer , cider or other such liquor , other than opaque beer , by an industrial process for ultimate sale to any use by members of the public; “ commercial brewer’s licence ” bears the meaning ascribed to that term by section 18 ; “ company ” means a company incorporated under the Companies Act; [Cap. 46:03] “ denatured or methylated spirits ” means spirits mixed with some other substance in such manner and quantity as to render the mixture unfit for use as a beverage in the opinion of the Controller of Customs and Excise; “ distiller ” means any person who, by a process of distillation, distils spirits for ultimate sale to and use by members of the public; “ distiller’s licence ” bears the meaning ascribed to that term by section 17 ; “ health officer ” bears the meaning ascribed to that term by section 4 of the Public Health Act; [Cap. 34:01] “ intoxicating liquor ” means any spirits , wine, beer , cider or other potable liquor intended for human consumption, which, on analysis of a sample thereof at any time, is found to contain more than two per centum by volume of proof spirits ; “ licence ” means a licence issued pursuant to this Act; “ licensed premises ” means any premises , or part of any premises , which are specified in a licence issued under this Act as the place where the licensee is authorized to exercise his rights thereunder; and includes any lands adjacent to such premises which, whether held by the licensee under the same title or grant or otherwise, are ordinarily used by the said licensee in and about the said exercise of his said rights and are included within the description on the licence . It further shall be deemed to include, to the extent in this Act provided, any passenger vessel or part of any passenger vessel, any railway restaurant car or part of any railway restaurant car, or any aircraft or part of any aircraft, specified in such licence as the place wherein the licensee may exercise his rights under the said licence , or which is a unit, or part of a unit, of any fleet of any such passenger vessels, railway restaurant cars or aircraft, as the case may be, so specified; “ licensing area ” bears the meaning ascribed to such term by section 3 ; “ licensing authority ” means, in relation to any area — (a) the licensing officer designated for such area under section 4 ; or (b) where a Local Licensing Board has been established for such area under section 5 , the said Local Licensing Board; “ licensing officer ” means, in relation to any area , the person designated by the Minister as such for such area pursuant to section 4 , and includes any person so designated as acting licensing officer for such area; “ liquor ” means intoxicating liquor ; “ major shareholder ” means, in relation to any company , any person who is registered on the Register of Shareholders of such company as the holder of ten or more per centum of the issued equity shares of the company whose voting rights are not suspended; or who has the right to exercise the voting rights of ten or more per centum of such issued equity shares; or who, being the holder of a debenture or of debenture shares of the company with voting rights, has the rights to exercise ten or more per centum of the combined voting rights of all such equity shares, voting debentures and voting debenture shares issued by the said company ; “ manufacturer’s licence ” means any licence under which the principal right exercisable by the licensee thereunder is the manufacture of liquor by an industrial process, for ultimate sale to and use by the public; “ medical officer of health ” bears the meaning ascribed to that term by section 4 of the Public Health Act; [Cap. 34:01] “ mess ” means any canteen ; “ methylated spirits ” see “ denatured or methylated spirits ”; “ off-licence ” means any class or grade of retail sales licence issued under this Act which is exercisable on stated licensed premises and which authorizes the licensee thereunder to sell liquor by retail sale for consumption off the said relevant licensed premises only; “ officer in charge of police ” bears the meaning ascribed to that term by section 2 of the Police Act; [Cap. 13:01] “ on-licence ” means any class or grade of retail sales licence , issued under this Act, which is exercisable on stated licensed premises and which, inter alia , authorizes the licensee thereunder to sell liquor by retail sale for consumption on the said relevant licensed premises ; “ opaque beer ” means liquor brewed by an industrial brewing process, which, if brewed by traditional methods, would be traditional beer ; “ opaque beer brewer’s licence ” bears the meaning ascribed to that term by section 20 ; “ permitted hours ” means the prescribed hours appropriate to the relevant licence or permit, as the case may be, together with any lawful extensions thereof; “ premises ” means any land with buildings thereon, and includes the curtilage of such buildings, and, for the purposes of any grade “TAV”, “TRY” or “TPV” travel and transit licence issued under this Act, shall be deemed to include any passenger vessel or part of any passenger vessel, any railway restaurant car or part of any railway restaurant car, any aircraft or part of any aircraft, respectively, as specified in such licence as the place wherein the licensee may exercise his rights under such licence , or which is a unit or part of a unit of any fleet of any such passenger vessels, railway restaurant cars or aircraft, as the case may be, so specified; “ premises permit ” means a permit to manufacture and sell traditional beer and to sell opaque beer as prescribed by section 65 ; “ prescribed hours ” means the days of the week and the hours of the day during which a licensee or permit holder is authorized to sell liquor in the exercise of his licence or permit under this Act; “ proof spirits ” means spirits any volume of which at fifty-one degrees Fahrenheit (10.555° Celsius) weighs twelve thirteenths of an equal volume of distilled water at the same temperature; “ prostitution ” includes soliciting or procuring for prostitution or unnatural immoral purposes; “ removal of licence ” bears the meaning ascribed to such term by section 55 (1); “ retail permit ” means a permit to manufacture and sell traditional beer and to sell opaque beer as prescribed by section 64 ; “ retail sales licence ” means any class of sales licence which authorizes the licensee thereunder to sell liquor by way of retail sale ; “ retail sale ” means the sale of liquor at any one time to any one person in quantities not exceeding the following— (a) in the case of spirits and wines, two Imperial gallons, or if bottled or in small containers, one dozen reputed quart bottles or quart containers, or the equivalent total content in smaller or larger bottles or other containers, as the case may be; (b) in the case of beer , cider , perry, opaque beer , traditional beer , or other such liquor , six Imperial gallons, or, if bottled or in small containers, four dozen reputed one-half pint bottles or one-half pint containers, or the equivalent total content in smaller or larger bottles or other containers, as the case may be; “ sales licence ” means any licence under which the principal right exercisable by a holder thereof is the sale of liquor ; “ sell ” includes to supply and to keep for sale; “ spirits ” means spirits of any description manufactured by a process of distillation, and includes all liquors mixed with spirits, and all liquid mixtures, compounds or preparations made with spirits; “ supply ” includes to transfer or to deliver, whether on a sale or otherwise; “ temporary sales licence ” means any auctioneer’s temporary licence or any occasional licence ; “ traditional beer ” means any liquor brewed by a process of fermentation, by traditional methods, from one or more of the following ingredients, that is to say, millet, barley, sorghum, maize, cassava, or any prescribed cereal, tuber or root, or from any concentrate, extract or product of any such ingredient or from any combination of any such ingredients, concentrates, extracts or products, but shall not include any liquor brewed from any other ingredient, or any distilled liquor ; “ transfer of licence ” bears the meaning ascribed to such term by section 48 ; “ travel and transit licence ” bears the meaning ascribed to such term by section 24 ; “ Tribunal ” means the Licensing Appeals Tribunal established pursuant to section 56 ; “ wholesale sale ” means the sale of liquor in unopened containers at any one time to any one person in quantities exceeding the following— (a) in the case of spirits or wines, two Imperial gallons, or if bottled or in small containers, one dozen reputed quart bottles or quart containers, or the equivalent total content in smaller or larger bottles or other containers as the case may be; (b) in the case of beer , cider , perry, opaque beer , or traditional beer or other such liquor , six Imperial gallons, or if bottled or in small containers, four dozen reputed one-half pint bottles or one-half pint containers, or the equivalent total content in smaller or larger bottles or other containers, as the case may be; “ wine-makers’ licence ” bears the meaning ascribed to such term by section 19 ; “ young person ” means any person who is, or who appears to be, under the age of eighteen years.