The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, JUNE 24.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 516, 24 June 1881, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. FRIDAY, JUNE 24.

TitK new Licensing Bill is now being discusbed'in Committee of the House of Representatives'', and We think a measure of such importance ought to receive, a greater shaiV of • attention from the public then appears to be the case at present. We purpose to lay before our readers a brief resume of its provisions together with the effect of such alterations as have already been made in the measure. Aad here we may mention that the alterations which are being made in it are proceeding at such a rate that the measure promises to emerge from committee in a state not to be recognised by its framers.

Tho bill contains 229 sections and eleven schedules. The first eleven sections deal with licensing districts aud disqualification of certain persons to act as members of a Licensing Committee. Tlvy were passed as printed. The most impor ant provision contained in them is that regulating the size of districts. These are defined to be (1) divided boroughs (2) Wards of divided boroughs (3) Ridings of counties as herein defined, or road districts within such counties, the smallest of such divisions being in every case adopted. (4) Road districts outside the counties. It will bo seen hereafter that the size of these districts forms a most material point in the working of one of the important features of the Bill, namely the principle of local option.

Section 12 provided that the Licensing Committee in each district should con sist of the Resident Magistrate (to be called the Licensing Magistrate) aud four persons to be appointed by the Governor. This arrangement has been quietly knocked on the head by an amendment proposed by Sir W. Fox, and carried by 34 to 19, providing that Licensing Committees shall be elected annually by the ratepayers. This is no doubt a change of a thovousrh-sroin.: character, and some of our contemporaries appear to think that it will be entirely subversive of the measure. It is urged (1) that the publicans will be certain to control the elections to the Committees, and (2) that as the Committees have judicial functions to perform, it is in some unexplained manner most dreadful that those persons most interested in these functirns being well performed should have anything to say as to the choice of candidates. We confess we do not share in their vaticinations. Speaking only from the point of view of the public weal, we consider the new system at any rate well worth a fair trial. Surely the people who are considered able to elect School Committees and Drainage Boards, Mayors and Road Board members, Borough Auditors (gratuitous or otherwise) and County Councils, surely they may also be trusted with the power of elevating to the sublime position of administration of the law relating to liquorselling. We apprehend that the real grouud for objection is fear that the sacred interests of the " Trade " will not be so absolutely conserved as under the present regime. But this could only be the case if the said interests were oppose Ito those of the public at large. In such a case we have no hesitation in affirming that the interests which ought to be conserved are the pubic ones. At any rate Licensing Benches, under the old nominee system, have in so many instances proved such wretched failures ; they have bowed down and truckled to such a miserable extent to the great Drink interest, that no change could be for the worse, and we hail the elective system' as probably a vast improvement on tbe present one.

The different kinds of licenses authorized by the Act are—(l) Publi.an's, (2) Family-hotel, (8) Club, (4) Bottle, (5) New Zealand wine (6) Billiard table (7) Packet (8) Wholesale (9) Conditional. Of these the family hotel license has been struck out. This license proposed to authorise the proprietor of a house kept as a privates hotel, but wi-__ou_ bar or lap room of any sort, to sell liquors at any time to bona fide residents in the hotel, and at meal-times to any person taking a meal there. Theoretically this license would have been a great convenience to such of the public as prcfeired a residence where quiet and privacy might be maintained, but we fear it would havo been liable to abuse, and on the whole do not feel inclined to regret its excision. The club license we regard as the weakest part of the Bill. We fear that the institution of this license, the striking out of the one just mentioned, and the way the bottle licenses have been dealt with are all due to that toadying to the

licensed victuallers which seems to affect so many of our public men. It is singular that so long as none but " gentlemen's " clubs were in existence or were thought of, nothing was said about restricting them. Probably it was felt to be impossible. But when working men ventured to arrange for premises other than the taproom whore they might meet together for social intercourse and recreation, Bung and his friends took the alarm. Working men's clubs were denounced as promoting untold evils. Their members were children, incapable of taking care of themselves, except under the fostering paternal care of Bung, who has always shown such a kind, generous interest in their welfare. We regret that a majority of the Legislature have been hoodwinked into introducing a kind of license, which is imposed solely in the interests of " the trade," which it will be all but impossible to enforce impartially, and which can have no effect that we can foresee but that of causing useless annoyance, jealousy, and heart-burning. The holder of a club license shall be an officer or servant of the club. Here comes in the first anomaly. His guests are his masters. If any dispute arises—say some of them insist on finishing their rubber after twelve o'clock—if he allows it he may be fined, and his employers will most likely reimburse him, but it he sticks to obedience to the law, he is almost sure to get the sack. It is not difficult to surmise which line he will choose under such circumstances. Again, we know that police officers are invariably men of Spartan rectitude. They don't know what partiality is, and on the whole would rather summons their sworn cronies than strangers. But is it well to expose this heroic vir.ue to too severe a tension ? Is it reasonable to expect that active and intelligent officer " Plceceman X," after clearing the "Pig and Whistle," to proceed to the " Megatherium " and ruthlessly eject or cause to bo ejected in the middle o? their conquering rubber, those very bald-headed J.P.s before whom he will have to bring his drunks on the morrow. Instead of " praiseworthy zeal " will not his interference be likely to be characterised as "infernal insolence?" and that by those who can, to a great extent, make or mar his future.

With regard to both licenses, the

House arrived at some very extraordinary and contradictory decisions, (for which see our parliamentary report) but finally the clause was struck out altogether, as was also tho case with that providing for billiard licenses. The New Zealand wine license was passed as printed, and the wholesale license was amended so as to enable a license to sell two gallons altogether of more than one description of liquor.

But undoubtedly the most important provision in the whole Bill is that which provides that before any new licenses are granted, a poll of the ratepayers of each district shall ba taken, at which the question shall be asked and answered, as to whether, in the opinion of the ratepayers any new licenses may be granted in the district. This poll is to be taken in the month of January, 1882, and thereafter at tho same time in every third year. It is to be taken by a public officer, appointed by the Chairman of t he Licensing Committee, and in manner prescribed by " The Regulation of Local Elections Act " The decision come to will be apparently irreversible for a period of three years, though this is somewhat doubtful. If the decision be against the issue of new licenses, of course that settles the question , but it is expressly sti»:inlatcd that the affirmation of the liropoiial for the i....u_ of new licenso. shall iv no ea_e vender it imperative upon tho Liceiibltig Committee to issue any su-li new licenses, We must reserve our remarks on this important part of the measure for a future issue.