HOTEL BOUNDARIES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1923, 4 December 1913, Page 7

HOTEL BOUNDARIES.

LOST LICENSES AND CCMPEXS& TIOX, Tlic loss of hotel licenses as a result of the alteration of electoral boundaries irave rise to a brief discussion in the. House of Representatives vestorday when the Jl to / Petitions Conimiitou reported upon tlw petition of Nellie St. Leger ami throe others, of Masterton, praying. for compensation for loss of their hconses by this cause. The Committee, reported that as a question of policy was involved, it had no recommendation to make. Mr. AY. 11. D. Bell (member for Arlington Suburbs) said tluit the whole matter had been discussed very fully, when lie introduced a Bill de-alinr with it last year. Ho did .not see how. people, could get compensation in a cjiso of this sort except by petition. The Bill introduced last year, though not defeated, was "talked out." Tho Bill proposed the restoration of those licenses until they were taken awav by the vote of the people. The Bill 'having _ been "talked out," the only alternative was for these people to t.-oivio to •Parliament- and ask for compensation for the loss. Now the. Petitions Committee reported that, as a fjnestien of policy was involved, it had no recommendation to make. It accmed to him that, in these circumstances aggrievedpersons had very little hope of redress. Finally, Mr. Jieli expressed a hope that the Government, notwithstanding the report of the Committee, would take ints consideration, th.e question of compensating these people. Jlr. L. M. Isitt said that there had also been injustices on the other side for which the No-license party imd .received no redress. He strongly objected to these, people being singled out for compensation when other sufferers who had suffered, from patriotic motives, had received lib compensation what* ever.

The report was allowed to lie on the. table.