THE LOCAL OPTION BILL.
Te the Editor.
Sir, —The true issue raised by the Local Option Bill of Mr Stout appears to me to be this: in what manner shall the right presently possessed by the people, admitted and embodied in the law of the land be exercised ? It is of the first importance in the discussion of Mr Stout's Bill that this point be kept steadily in view. It does not, so far as I can see, introduce any new principle into our liquor legislation, but only proposes to amplifiy a principle already acknowledged, over which there have been several hard fights in the Assembly, which was embodied in the Licensing Act of 1873, again fought over but retained in 1874, and is now standing on the Statute Book; and further the provision of machinery by means of which this principle may be brought into active operation. Section 23 of the Act of 1873 reads as follows : No certificate shall be granted if a memorial against the granting of the same, signed by at least two-thirds of the adult residents in the district be presented to the Court.
Again, in our Provincial Council in 1874 the following principle was affirmed, " That no new publican's license should be granted in any district until a memorial, signed by a majority of the male adult residents in the district, be presented to the Licensing Court." Here the principle of the popular control of the liquor traffic is fully admitted, first by the Assembly and second by the Provincial Council. Hitherto this right of control has been to a large extent inoperative because of the difficulties by which its exercise is surrounded by the provisions of the present Acts, and the real question raised by Mr Stout is whether or not better prov.sions should be made for the exercise of power already possessed. Having thus, as I think, fairly stated the question at issue, I will not trespass further on your space now, but will, with yoar permission, return to the subject in a future letter. —I am, &c, Citizen. Dunedin, July 6.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ESD18760706.2.15.1
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Evening Star, Issue 4168, 6 July 1876, Page 3
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350THE LOCAL OPTION BILL. Evening Star, Issue 4168, 6 July 1876, Page 3
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