NEWTOWN LIQUOR TRAFFIC.

Gisborne Times, Volume X, Issue 973, 20 August 1903, Page 3

NEWTOWN LIQUOR TRAFFIC.

DEPUTATION TO PREMIER. POLICE WAITING FOR THE PRIVY COUNCIL. Per Press Association. Wellington, last night. A deputation of “ Moderates ” and sympathisers with the hotelkeepers of Newtown waited on the Premier to-day in regard to the position of affairs concerning publicans in that district, where liquor is being sold at hotels which have boon refused a license by the Licensing Committee; The principal point of the deputation’s wishes was that the hotelkeepers should be permitted to carry on their business until the question of whether or not the committee is bound to grant licenses has been decidod by the Privy Council. The Premier in his reply, repudiated the suggestion made by certain persons that the hands of the police had been tiod hy the Executive in order to prevent the prosecution of Newtown publicans. The Police Department had had the matter under copsideration. With the view of coming to a ju6t decision as to its procedure, the matter had boon referred to the law officers of the Crown, and the Government had been advised that tho matter was one for the courts to determine. That advice could not be disregarded. The law officers agreed that if the Privy Council reversed the decision of the Full Court of New Zealand, which upheld the Committee in refusing to grant licenses, then the hotelkeepers of Newtown would be restored to the position previously ocou- < pied. ,

_ Next, said the Premier, came the question of what would happen in the meantime. Every man must feel for those who, while acting within what they believed to be their legal rights, might bo held to be guilty of illicit trading. His sympathies wero with them, but tho matter was one for the oourts to decide.

THE PREMIER'S PLEDGE.

By Telegraph—-Press Association.

Wellington, last night,

The Premier, replying to the Newtown deputation, gave a pledge that- such a situation as had occurred would not obtain again. The regulation of, the Local Elections Act would be amended to provide that any irregularity, unless it affected the result of the poll, should be set aside, and the poll should stand. For the bear ing of elections the constitution of the Bench required to be altered, and would be altered. Government could not give the prohibitionists all they desired, as to do so would not satisfy the bulk of the. people in the country, and they could riot give the trade all it wanted, as it would seriously injure people. In regard to the Newtown hotels, be would, in the event of the licensees being compelled to close now, and afterwards being granted licenses on the Privy Council’s judgment, be willing to support a claim for compensation for loss occasioned in tho interval, though he coaid not pledge tho ' Government to that.