Senior Magistrate Will Francis yesterday revealed that the Attorney General's Chamber was drafting legislation to amend Bermuda's liquor laws.

But Mr. Francis, who is also Chairman of the Liquor Licensing Authority, could not say when the new legislation will go into effect.

"Amendments are in the works right now,'' he said. "The Attorney General's Chamber is drafting legislation and then it will go to Cabinet and then to Parliament.'' The news was last night warmly greeted by W. A. (Toppy) Cowen, deputy chairman of the Road Safety Council.

Mr. Cowen, who is also the chairman of the Police Eastern Division Consultative Committee, told The Royal Gazette that he was disturbed that cold beer and miniature alcoholic beverages were readily available in stores, "encouraging persons to drink as quickly as possible''.

"It is thought that stricter Island-wide guidelines should be incorporated,'' he said. "We think more stringent controls are required that would cause the discontinuation of these practices.

"We used to observe `cold ones' in paper bags -- this no longer applies as beer is consumed quite openly along with quick fix alcoholic stimulants.'' Mr. Cowen said he recently wrote a letter to Mr. Francis expressing his displeasure with the way alcoholic beverages are currently sold.

Mr. Francis said Mr. Cowen's complaint was out of his hands and could only be addressed through legislation.

And he said that when he first became Senior Magistrate he tried to address the "miniatures issue''.

"In 1989, when I became Senior Magistrate I tried to stop it, especially the little ones because they could be kept in someone's pockets or consumed while someone was driving.

"When I tried to do something, my rulings were appealed and it caused many headlines,'' he added. "Only through legislation can it be changed.'' But Mr. Cowen's call for change last night received support from a liquor merchant.

The supporter, who wished to remain anonymous, admitted that an overview of the liquor licence would "be good''.

Meanwhile, most liquor merchants defended the sale of the miniatures.

Charles Gosling, of Gosling Brothers, said the miniature served a double purpose.

"They let someone sample a good before they spend money on an entire bottle,'' he said. "And for those who go out on the town, instead of paying five or six dollars for a drink, they can consume one (a miniature) before going into an establishment.'' Michael Robinson of Cosmopolitan Liquors Ltd. said the miniatures were a popular promotional tool.

"I think many of our miniatures go to visitors, they buy them for their rooms,'' Mr. Robinson explained. "And they try out drinks, like Bermuda Gold, to see if they like them and then later return to buy them in bond.'' But he admitted some people did purchase the miniatures for a "quick fix''.

"I won't deny that some people will buy them because they can't afford a full bottle,'' he said. "But they were not made for that purpose.'' COURTS CTS ATTORNEY GENERAL AG