LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 690, 15 December 1909, Page 5

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

; ■ THE' LICENSING -QUESTION; v e| ."■ Sir,—Are ' tho/'ropresontatives .of : the,:Nc»';-V\;; ; ; Zealand Alliance' and tho -licensed Victuallers'! ...\',{;;;:. ■Association the only persons interested in 'the % V;;{*. ■ licensing question in this ' great mass-of the pooplo to bo trifled ,:-witlV.:.'t.. j because ono of: two extreme, parties, breaks .:■■?■: 1 its pledge? There is a feeling. in -the com- i> . munity. that\ the.; licensing laws of the Do- ..•.. , ::. ; • minion, should at onco ;bo .amended. Why: ■■■''.'.■.-.'A ! Bhould there bo a confusion of. tho. issucsP '■?:■.% Tim No-License people claim that, if Dominion i no-license is carried, thp importation, mahufac- ; :|x;i wire, and sale of intoxicating liquors through-: ; o s ut the Dominion should bo prohibited,- ox-.-- '.?;§ , cepting for medicinal: and: scientific .pn'rp'osos.' l -,■-.-S'. . This claim is not resisted by tho other sido. : ; If, then,- Dominion no-licenso,is to carry with,-;■■ J'\* i it total prohibition,-why bhould not local no- v-: I license do the: same?.-'.-The'No-Lieense parfe " :Vs arc os inconsistent ■ as' they can bo . question,- and a Govorhment: which panders to i-;:':;. 1 , them and legislates to-.provide the. rich man ":'•;>>■ , with' his beverage and■ rob : the poor man- of-.'S-'H , his.beer, ha 6 forfeited all claim to the-gnp-,,''K' ~ port of true-democrats. Speaking as. a. moder-:;.,.; !.' L :ate, I clnim that tho community is being /i-i , , dnped f by: tho No-License party, and Hie-Gov-. : ,:,:< : ; . srnment.-,-. There, ore. niany . reforms , . which'-.-' 'VS . could, bo offected. AVlioro , no-licenso is carried '-..:','. [ there should bo no liquor;.where continuance ' ;t . is carried, tho : traffic, should, be rigidly, con-. . A'.'; : (rolled. ..Barmaids'should be' : abolished, the;.-";'! . 'shouting" system , ' prohibited, bars placed hr : ' ''.".■' l a loss conspicuous place in hotels than at pro- ,, ■'.-,':"< - Bent,, leases restricted to" the three years', be-,'-"'- 1 '" - tivecn polls, the quality of liquors. disponsod'K v :4 ) regulated,.' tied" houses Tendered more' impos- ■: '■': ■ •' t sible,. and the.', general.-conduct of v licensed? ■■•':».■■; j houses more'closely scrutinised.. Let uk'have.a , M; - otraight-out vote on tho question of liquor or -■''■'■ . no liquor. But if grog, is to continue, let it . li-. 1 i bo disposed of under rigid license and proper ' ;-.:Z r control) the drink bill is annually .swelling,.-:■.'•';v- . and no gcpuino attempt is. being made toim--' Vi/S 1 provo tho conduct of licensed ■■ houses,'.- This, '.'v' , : . sir, .is- a reproach to;'those calling themselves i'S; n reformers, and to the: Parliament of New-Zea-' ,s--r land.—l.am.'etc.] ':'.'':'■'-, '.■.','., ■■■~'.'.■'■: ";;'!SS| /■•VV. :'; '',-• ' : v .•;,-;- ,■■ '■■'■■■-:■■'■ -■"-'.;-" ■■ ■■■.y:.:/.~i-- : i $ \ '■-■■.'\ . '■~ THE: SHIP; OP;STATER' : >f:'i.; %r?k . ■','■ Sir,—Tlio rumoured cost'of •' the new!:^ot-■■ j'v ;-i< 0 crnment.' House.-.with road .•'''iapproaclie's'", is""':-'■•*■■■ j £25,000.". During 'tho••-past: year- the'; Goyeni- "■■ -^ ment has built; three workmen's-cottages in : ' ,v ; r ' ; thb neighbourhood of Wellington, costing, , ~'eki*s. : -:'S% b cfiooo:.:. ■•■-. "■ ■•■:■ .■: . ■ :.■■■ . \ :.■;■■■.-•''■. '^;'« t : Ship 1.0. U.: First-'-Lieutenant:. S#s 1 what is .to be' spent' on .tho Bhip this' 'i§ .- Captain: I am-going to ihave a brand s h'gnre-head with plenty -of gilt. First 'Lieut- v': ?'. e ouunt: What'will bo the r .cost? .. Captain :\;m : ;■■';! - About , £l(W. ; .First:Li<Hitcnant::ls nothing'.to. a ! u:^ 0 be done, to the. men's quarters? ; They, tire'v:**; 1 overcrowdod.and: badly. ventilated.V '.Cantniii!:.'.- -,:s, 0 Let the' iiieri. bunk ..under the: fore-peak'il';.tliei'a.': : '"?.-lS 1 is 'no other place," liiid be hanged to tiieui.— :..--"'ft 0 I am,; etc.,'■ ■'■ ■ ■'.-"■'.• - ■-''■ -■■■'■■■ , '■'■■':'~:^■W^'-'* : ".'■; •■: ' v:: \ ':■:' ■•.. : l- ;: '.-; ; :. ; ':- : ] :S}■:;'■*''*s&sss '•■* -';■'"■' —i .... .... : ■ •': :■■'■:"•:' '.^'"'i'flX .- .' : ■;•.'.'v:; .■•.-NEED',, OF-. REFORMS "'■ f^'.M ; oo, J reading report of:'Parliamentary. "■'■}«'iH proceedings. in ! .your ' widely-circulated journal;-,:-;"> : ; g I, noticed that .Sir ,Joseph;. War d ,, has ; been?.,;';{■; s called, to task for his -want of courtesy- to incni- , -::;.: .. bers in the House, and,.that .'membbrs.nro'un-'' "':.'] I' able.to form any conclusion as to the question '■''. : tA 1. at issue.-,As-to Sir Joseph's attitude, I aim not.>? 's'j j; -at! all surprised, I;'.laiow..of ii geutlemari: in'- y'-$ o the .-city .Who Jind; written to .Sir Joseph,: and;; yS' at his (the Premier's) request, trad then could : . : ' V:',:: . not get.a.roply.-,.The.Houso as'at:present con-;;'!::£ ducted is: fast o approachinß'.the -,tactics .of, 4 the.-);■ '-ft House of'.Assembly of New"South.Wales,!,andV;'i'!;.'i' : i .-■: we shall .soon/ witness some' unseemly,: scones.:':;;'•■;■;;:: Novv, -sir,. this' state-- ofVaffairs; is not;in 1 tliuj'.i^;; best interest, of .the Dominion ijndr its people. ■;;'(§; i- The masses' should, wiike .'up, and: insist th^t'; ;%;(/ o their menibsr.shall demand at'all times o' the I'reniietv oveii Ihougli; a staunch supporter^v ; \':l if of .the Goyornmenl-,,,the .fullest.inforrnatiori-)h: : :':S , dealing with public There 'has:' beon;;V.i'; 1 s too Inuch of. this -one-man (-tovernment, and ; if '■■'£s t the masses do; not Ijestir themselves and their ;■■; e members they; will:, discover to tlieir-.sorrow. i ':[. , ;;'/; t when it is-too late. I.should like to see it;in-}', i., cumbont in the: administration; of-the affairs, 'lh.-A\i i- .'of , tho Dominiou that ; :l.he Loador'of the .Op-:;; ; ! jT-i o -position,: whoever ,he, may be,; and,Kis : lieuteii--i•■>;* e ant, opposing;'those in power, should be sworn?:,; :;$ c tosecrecy, the same asAlinisfers of:the Crown,- ■ - ; S; s and they "should havo free access* to- all. docu-: ; ,,VW' :', lnents; or, that • ans-'aecountant'/bo 1 apnointed, :, '''';::;; d. and mat lie bo : held', rcspoosible, and'-for. h3m i: 'i'- i J> ■f 'H6 n 'f,urliish - those mentioned-. , with what:infor-,.:;;;.. y ..nidtioh inay bo required of. liim.—l am, etc., ! - v ;' ° '•■'■' ■' ; - ; '' 'Xvv% 1 .^OR:EEi?pK.M;';::;i::-;| ?s ;; THE; FREEHOLp^-!MPDSSIbLe\TERMS,;^;;:|; >-- •'. Sir.-rl. tako; .it that.'it .is:'.quito ; imppssibjei:Hws :o that the newLa'nd Bill will como : on dunng th'ir; v.';' ! s 5- session,■ but, whether; it does or not, ■■it'is'-.oerlW.'i-V.ij :e tain' that the,' terms proposed therein .for: ,tlK ; ':-.?-!; f- acciuirement of;the freehold _by.the' Crown .tin-:',:.;/i!' ie ants-, are -quiteiuufair. and inequitable. .-Theji >:?•'?? d| would-.not, in fact,.-bo.''accepted by thor tenant!.•;;-.;§<! 'e as no mail holding a lease'lii-ncrpetuity wojilft *.',;'-'; n excliahgbUt , for a frceliold-on 'tho"lcrnis''pro-:::- -; -i T .'Fi ■• posed. By it the-tenant'.is asked to inay;- for:": -';.:.t '•' what is,'already, his.by the terms of .his'lcasov'-.'ijK' t —namely,, th« ; increased .value of hisy.holdine.'^'':';^ y What, then, is it'that'tho Government'as J,and«''.S.:.S ir. lord has'.to pell? 'It is admitted that tho .equity:; , , I .;'?'. >s of redemption' 90pjcars. hcnce.is.of iusignificantSi ■■:;■;■ o value, and: that is thf> only asset'iwhich . Govern--:,.'■■S^ s- .luent' holdsi beyond the capital'value -of theil':-;'; 't rentiil: that capital vvahie is expressed by'tho>:--::;; ie original value ou' whiijh; rental' was based.•;■*!*? io' It is' ateurd; to. thlb'of THK.;PEOPLE :-being.;';::: : ;~ f- Ewiiidled;but of; thousands; by.."a sale.basedTW '.■%s■ * original value'; , It'may, howover, bo' eaid .thatv.;;)";!- '.' Governmeiit has a right tomakotho best Aar>J); -■'- ;-fji r gain'it-can,in granting tlie:freehold,-.but-i.o is- desirable that: the tenant''should becomo'.'a,;.;, 1 :;;::.; '6 freeholder; it' is no- use offering :fcorms:whichv r :-jM;'.; k no'sensible tenant , v:ould~a'ccept. Tho terms're-:>'{:•-;! s, peatedly proposed:" , by. the farmers ,: ,Union , ,are. ,",,;v-!i 's equitab'le,' do ;.uot-rrequire: a staff:iof; 'Valuers; %:K u arbitrators, «tc.', a'nd.would , . leave, the Goverhv-■?::!; :S l'nent wijh-a handsome : profit on the transac-.-r'\-;;: : : is .lion.-.'"Perhaps, in time,: we inay: look :forwar.d:;,'-;.r>. J- to', this 'question- being ; regarded from a busi-; '■'s''■s:■ le ness-like poist of view, v and\not dominated. a w.arped by ''political pre]udices.7-I:ani, :ote.,i-:;:--Vhj £ ■(■::■': y : ' '■" ■: '"Vv" '■)■ '.. •:■•:'■.: J.:BIECH. : a ;|. : M;