The Licensing Bill.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 50, 24 August 1894, Page 2

The Licensing Bill.

, [PEB FBESS ASSOCIATION.! Wellington August 23. The New Zealand Alliance was in ses. siou upon the new Licensing Bill yesterday and to day, with tho result that while professiug certain amendments the; cordially welcome tbe provision of a simultaneous local and National option poll covering all forms of license, the simplification of voting paper, and making the cst of the poll chargeable to the public ■ account, the non elective Committee ■ which relievos the voting of a great en cumbrauce and also relieves the Prohibitionists from entanglement in the regulation respoDsibihtes of the abolition of the ' Bottle, New Zealand Wine, and Railway 1 liceusos and special licensing districts, the protection of localities where no licenses i exist ; by restricting the power of renewal . of licenses, the abandonment of the half i vote is required where Parliamentary election is not contested, the non«retroac tive efiect given to clause 21 of last year's ; Act, and the number of improved subsi 1 diary restrictive regulations availing themselves of a free hand promised to Parliament by Government, The Alii . ance decided to ask their supporters m tbe ■ House and the country to support 6ucb t amendments as that the majority oftbo*e • who vote shall determine the issue at the polls ; that the reduction vote shall be I excluded, as it has already proved xasuf- : ficient of itself in every district to carrj that determination ; that conditional | licenses and nil licensing in Native dU» tricts be abolished : that the local optioa vote cover existing Club charters ; that t no increase of licenses nor new Club char . ters be allowrd ; that liquor selling be ■ unlawful on shop half- holiday and eleci tion days ; and that all license fees be ; paid into and cost of administering the Act be paid out of consolidated fund.