LICENSING.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 331, 19 October 1908, Page 7

LICENSING.

COMPENSATION UNDER BRITISH BILL

LENGTH OF TIME-LIMIT. OFF-LICENSES BROUGHT TINDER ITS OPERATION. • (BY TBIBORAFH—PKKBS ASSOCIATION —COPXEIGHT.) (Reo. October 17-, 8.12 p.m.) London, October 17. 11l committee on the Licensing Bill, ■ Mr. H. Bottomloy (Liberal member for Hackney South) moved an amendment -to increase the time-limit (the period after.jwhicji .compensation is no longer,payable,, guislied licenses) from 14 years to 21 years. This was negatived, the voting being;— For the amendment,- : ™ 119 Against the amendment ; 287 Majority against 168 The Prime Minister, Mr. Asquith, announced that ho was quite prepared to entertain a suggestion that, for a short term of years—probably seven —after the expiry of the fourteen years' time-limit, when old licenses were re-granted • the: re-grant would not require the immediate' surrender of the monopoly value; In r other words, the State-would postpone the resumption of the monopoly value of surviving licenses until the expiration of the term additional to, tjie fourteen years. An amendment was carried, on the motion of Mr. L. V. Harcourti 1 (First' Commissioner of Works) placing botli off-licenses and on-licenses undor the time-limit. ON- AND OFF- LICENSES.' The monopoly value has: been defined -as the, additional value which a license gives to the" premises to which it attaches. When com-' pensation is paid, it covers the monopoly value created by the license. Compensation under' the Bill is to, cease in fourteen years, but apparently Mr. Asquith now proposes to give a seven years' extension of time in the case of old (existing) licenses. The amendment mentioned in the last part of the cablegram is very important.' Onlicenses may roughly be defined as licensed places where liquor is sold and can be consumed on the premises, while off-licenses confer only the right to sell lie luor- for- consumption off tiio premises. lir the latter category fall small tradesmen, and* such like. The Bill as introduced did' not apply tho timelimit to off-licenses—that is, compensation was not to determine in their case after fourteen years—and the Liberals "were': therefore'' criticised by.their opponents as protecting Liberal small traders while sacrificing Unionist hotelKeepers. The cablegram indicates that the Government has now' amended the Bill so as to treat both kinds of licenses alike as far as the time-limit is concerned.' ' ' ■