Correspondence

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 77, 28 September 1893, Page 2

Correspondence

THE THREE YEARS LICENSING ACT. TO TIIE EDITOR OF THE STAH. Sir, — Many will be surprised and indignant to find that, according to the leader of the Evening Post of 26th inst., the Licensing Act has now passed the Legislature. This Act tends to give a l three years respite to what is commonly , called •' the trade," and will have the effect of creating a vested interest where none has hitherto existed. It was hoped, and believed, that when woniens' franchise was an established fact, that it would have 1 enabled the women of the colony to take [ action in the direction of reducing the number of licensed houses ; whereas, the Bill now passed has practically mil* > lified all efforts in this direction for three [ years. The aim of the Government . seems to be on the one hand to hold out ■ a hope, and immediately to crush it by i legislating in such a manner that precludes , the possibility of its being realised. In fact, the whole thing has now become a . farce, by the Government playing into the hands of •' the trade," while pretending to : advance the interests of the people. Is it not now possible to stop this monstrous measure coming into operation by petition- • ing His Excellency the Governor to withhold his consent? This was done by the opponents of the Women's Franchise, but happily without success. Trusting that ; some steps may be taken at once by those ; more competent to undertake it than myself. I am, etc., A Membeb of the W.C.T,U. Feilding, September 28, 1893.