NO-LICENSE QUESTION.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 881, 29 July 1910, Page 6

NO-LICENSE QUESTION.

LEAFLET RAISES IRE. (By Telegraph—Special Correspondent.) Auckland, July. 28. Exactly what extent of sympathy exists between the- hotel aud the hairdrossing trades is not apparent on casual observance, but a leaflet on this particular subject has been issued by a body calling itself the Ashiield (N.S.W.) Liberty League, and bears reference to the effect of No-License conditions upon the Borough of.Grey Lynn. It has seriously raised the ire, if not the hair, of tb's defenders of tho No-Licenso movement in Auckland. The statement referred to 'was published in tlin form of. a leaflet, sipiii.'d by one Edward M'Quellan, and addressed to shopkeepers and propertyowners. Jt mys as follows:—. In Grey Lynn, under license, there were eight hairdressers and eleven itfrcshmcut rooms. When No-License was carried, the number was reduced to one hairdresser and three refreshment room?, and all other businesses suffered in greater or less proportion. Tim land value of this district, immediately went down £1 per foot. Some interesting facts in refutation have been compiled by Mr. W. J. MacUcrmott, a resident of 284 years' standing in Grey Lynn. He shows that the rateable unimproved value o£ land to March 31, IIIOG, under license, was .£271!,--588, while, to March 31, 1010, under NoLicense, it was ,£'381,710, the increase under No-License thus being .£105,152. So far from the value of land per foot having decreased, Mr. MacDormott points out that it has increased from 25 to 50 per cent, under No-License, and, in some cases, 75 per cent. Ho also states that 400 houses and 30 shops have been erected in tho four years of No-License, that the Borough Council is now spending JC4600 in improvements, and that private syndicates »re spending .£IOO,OIIO in opening up new estates. Further evidence of prosperity (Mr. MacDermott considers) is • that the Auckland Tramways Company has just extended its lines to. meet the requirements of a new district, which has only come into prominence under !No-Lluousb; that threij large now halls have been erected in the electorate since No-Licenso came; and that 70 per cent, of tho occupiers in the borough own their-own dwellings. There are seven hairdressing saloons in the electorate now. Under, license there never was a refreshment room in the electorate, the distance, being too close to the city, besides which there were two hotels in license days. One is now a boardinghouse, and the other- was turned into seven shops. ■ j