The Licensing Bill.

Feilding Star, Volume XVI, Issue 53, 28 August 1894, Page 2

The Licensing Bill.

(Per Press Association). WELLINGTON, This Day. At a Public Morals Committee meeting of the Wesleyan Church, the Rev. W. Bautuber, Chairman of the Wellington district, presided. General approval was given to the licensing Bill now before Parliament, the following provisions being especially endorsed :— Abolition of bottle, NewNew Zealand wine and railway licenses, provision of simultaneous local and. national option poll covering all forms of license, and protection of localities whera no licenses exist by restricting the power of the removal of licenses. Auckland, August 27. The Rev. Mr Isitt, in an interview re the Licensing BUI, said he was afraid the whole thing would be burked i this session. He would have preferred a short amending Bill including the removal of the half vote ; the applii cation of the people's vote to all ; licenses, retail and club; three-fifths exchanged for a bare majority ; smaller districts and simpler voting papers. Chbistchubch, August 27. At a meeting of representatives of the local Prohibition League to consider the Licensing Bill, now before Parliament, resolutions were carried that the proposal to abolish the elective committee was retrogressive ; that the clause rendering the supply of liquor , to natives illegal should apply to the whole colony and not native districts > alone ; that the power to grant club i licenses should not be vested in the Colonial Secretary ; that licenses should not be issued to women ; that canvassing for orders for liquor in districts where prohibition was carried should be made a penal offence; that no packet licenses be issued to vessels trading exclusively in the colony j that uniform hours of cjosing be adopted for the whole colony ; that the popular determination as to the issue of Keen*, ses should not be limited to publicans' license ; that the vote on the licensing question should not be taken on the day of the general election ; and that. the local option poll should be taken every three years on fixed dates.