The Fielding Star. THURSDAY, MAY 15, 1890. Amended Licensing Act.

Feilding Star, Volume XI, Issue 138, 15 May 1890, Page 2

The Fielding Star. THURSDAY, MAY 15, 1890. Amended Licensing Act.

If one may be permitted to judge by past 'experience of the tactics of the Premier, his promise to the member for Taieri, anent giving, power to the people by a direct vote to prohibit the sale of intoxicating drinds within the district which they reside, is merely introduced to divert the attention of the House from some other measure. That the Licensing Act needs amending has been pointed out by newspapers of every shade of political opinion in the Colony; but even the wildest advocate of tbe temperance cause Las never ventured . into such deep water as Sir Haxky Atkinson — assuming the telegram in which the information, was conveyed, to be correct. Let us suppose such a law as indicated to be, in force, and the probable consequences. There are, for example,, three; districts adjoining ; the \ people of two of them elect that no intoxicatine "liquors shall be sold j within their boundaries," while the i electors of third idecidejthey will hold onto their" "privilege— to sell ! what they like. What would happen ? Why, ? the mi^oritief of ; the -two districts who ; voted for the sale of intoxicating •■■ liquors would gravitate at all times and seasons ~as «' travellers" to the place where they could be supplied with drink. Visitors from the outside world would give the "prohibition" places a " wide berth" and only go to the town where they were oertain to receive proper accommodation; Another question is— who is to pay the compensation which would have to be made to owners of existing licensedhouses? The residents of th« district most certainly, and not as they pay borough or 1 cud board rates/ acoof dto the value of their property, but at per head, for the very excellent reason that the non- property owners would belong to the crowning majority. How to collect this rate would prob ■■ ably puzzle even. Sir Haret Ateineo.v for exnihilonihUJit. Reform in the licensing laws of the country must begin at the fountain head,' and until the Colonial. Treasurer ceases to look on the profits (commonly called duties) of thei'liquor traffic as a chief 'source of revenue, ft is the purest "bunkum" |o |ry and foist on the great mass of the people the responsibility of reform in the drink traffic.