The Feilding Star. Published Daily. TUESDAY, FEB. 27, 1894 THE LICENSING ELECTIONS.

Feilding Star, Volume XV, Issue 250, 27 February 1894, Page 2

The Feilding Star. Published Daily. TUESDAY, FEB. 27, 1894 T HE LICENSING ELECTIONS.

t*o far we havo not beard of any candidates who are likely to be nominated for tbo Licensing Committee of the Rangitikei Electoral District. We do nut suppose that the matter of appointing a committee will be left in tho hands of the Government, although that plan would have its ad vantages if only on the score of economy. In a telegram published yesterday it was stated a local body on the West Coast of the Middle Is land had applied to the Government for monetary assistance towards paying the licensing election expenses, but the local body was informed that under the Act local bodies had to pay their own expenses, as no appropriation had been mad© for that purpose i*bej> the Act became law. We would suggest to the Borough Council, which will meet on Thursday night, and tho Manchester Road Board which will meet on Saturday, that they giye this matter some consideration. The difficulty which presents itself to us is this : The Returning ofHceis and administrating bodies may incur any expenses they like, without consulting tho local bodies which have to pay for them, therefore a local body which has only, say, one or two licensed houses within its boundaries, may be put to nearly the same charges as one which derives the revenue from a score of thorn It L true the Act provides the Council or Board which forms only a part of a licensing district, but receives a por tion of the licenses theroin, shall be liable to contribute, in proportion to the amount so received, to the cost of administering the Licensing Acts within the Licensing District of which it forms a part ; and the local authority charged with such administration shall be entitled to recover such con tributions from such Councils or Boards liable respectively to pay the same. There is a delightful vague ness about this, and a promise of much future litigation between the local bodies and the administrating body. In that connection we are aware several gentlemen of g »od standing and sound judgment, who have been approached with a view to their bocomuog candidates for the position in this district, have declared their unwillingness to do so, on the ground that in the near future they may be involved in litigation which would certainly entail the cost of much valuable time, mental worry and anxiety, if not actual monetary expense. Whether these fears are wellfounded or not wo are of course unable to say, but the experiences of the members of Licensing Committees in several parts of the Colony, during the past three years, would certainly go far to justify the opinion that the responsibilities and anxieties entailed on members are not compensated for by the honor. Membors of local bodies do not requiio to be told that a» ratepayers pure enl simple they have nothing whatever to do with tho Act or its admmißtralion, but in their dual capacity aa eleetois nnd ratrpiy- • >s they are as much, if not more, interested tLan electors who aro uot ratepayers.