The Feilding Star. SATURDAY, JULY 23, 1892. Liquor Traffic Local Option

Feilding Star, Volume XIV, Issue 15, 23 July 1892, Page 2

The Feilding Star. SATURDAY, JULY 23, 1892. Liquor Traffic Local Option

♦ This Bill, introduced to the House by Mr Joyce, the member" for Akaroa, is I entitled an Act to enable ratepayers j in licensing districts to prevent the ' sale of intoxicating liquors in such dis--1 tricts. It is intended that any num--1 ber of ratepayers, not being less than i one tenth upon the roll, may give • notice to the Returning Officer to take j a poll of the ratepayers of such district, not later than thirty days nor ! earlier than fourteen days after such ' notice, as to whether licenses for the I sale of intoxicating liquors shall be I granted or renewed in such district. I The Returning Officer shall, not later ! than the day after the poll declare the , result, and if the vote shall be against . the issue of any license he shall report j the same to the Licensing Committee ! and to the Colonial Secretary, and it 1 shall not be lawful for the Licensing 1 Committee or Colonial Secretary thereafter to grant or renew any license, and if such license is so granted it shall be null and void. The last clause provides; that when any poll shall have been taken under this Act no further poll shall be taken within three years thereafter. The intention of this measure is clear enough viz., to put in the hands of a minority of the ratepayers the power of tyrannising over the remainder. We do not question that the intentions of Mr Joyce are good enough, but it seems to us that he does not know how to be discreet in carrying them into effect. The very plan he suggests has proved a rank failure in the United States of America, and in New Zealand it would have the same fate. It is a most singular thing that our politicians should have to rely so much on America for their original " ideas."