PREMIER AND PROHIBITION.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 968, 14 August 1903, Page 3

PREMIER AND PROHIBITION.

PROTEST AGAINST NEWTOWN HOTELS KEEPING OPEN.

PRIVATE ’ACTION THREATENED IF POLICE DO NOT ACT,

WHO INSTIGATED THE CAR .TOON ?

(Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, last night. A large deputation representing the Newtown No-License League waited on the Premier this afternoon, to protest against the Newtown hotel-keepers keeping their premises open despite the refusal of the Committee to grant licenses, and of the more recent decision of the Court of Appeal in favor of the action of the Committee. Mr G. 11. Nicholls, Secretary of the League, complained that the police appeared powerless to act, although the hotelkeepers were defying the law, and the deputation appealed to the Premier to insist upon the law being observed. The Rev. Mr Bond,'a member of the Newtown Licensing Bench, said I the publicans were defying the law ! aad defeating the ends of justice, and carrying on an illegal business. Were it 'hot for his traditions, he would be inclined to open an hotel in order to test the legality of the whole thing. Mr Reid, another member of the Licensing Committee, said if the Premier did not give a favorable answer soon the people themselves .would do something to -put matters right. The Rev. Mr Isitt said if the police would not take action private individuals would, hut lie did not think- it right that they should have that position forced upon them. It was not right to assume that the matter was sub judice until the Courts said it was so. Mr T. Taylor, M.H.R., failed to see what right any Executive had ,to interfere.with, the police in (,the discharge of their duty. He protested against any power in the country tying up die hands of the police. ) .The Premier, in rising to reply, first asked who was responsible for the illustrated slip which had been circulated, containing a picture of a policeman with an arm round his neck and hand over his eyes, • and the motto at the foot “On . Duty at Newtown.” The initials “R.S.” were on the encircling arm. The Rev. Mr Isitt and the President of the League admitted that they knew of the slip, but denied responsibility. The Premier said it was hard when he was endeavoring to do his best in a difficult' position to he met with contumely. However, it would not influence his action one way oi the other. Speaking to the subject he said there was a general consensus of opinion that the initial Courts decided whether or not a mandamus should issue the hotels should not be closed. The Government were advised by their law officers, who had advised that the opinion of Dr. Macgregor, of Dunedin, that licenses could not be issued .was wrong. The case had now gone to the Privy Council. He would again submit the whole position to the Crown law officers and obtain a final opinion, and place the matter before his colleagues. ... He would give the deputation a definite reply’ within one week. The question was not so simple as the deputation imagined. If the police took action and had the houses closed, and some hotelkeepers took the case through the Courts to the Privy Council, and the Council decided the hotels ought to have a license, the hotelkeepers whose business was ruined,' would petition Parliament for compensation. The present position was an extraordinary one in regard to Bruce and Newtown which nobody had foreseen. The Premier intimated that for some weeks past a measure dealing with the question of elections had been under consideration. The question to he considered was whether there should he some provision for dealing with the option poll as with the election of a member of the House, or should there be, a separate Court to try the cases. 1-Ie was inclined to favor three Magistrates as a tribunal