The Globe. THURSDAY, JULY 30, 1874.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 52, 30 July 1874, Page 2

The Globe. THURSDAY, JULY 30, 1874.

The debate on the second reading of Mr Vogel’s Licensing J3ill was short but interesting. Mr Vox, who declared be should not oppose the second readling, made a long assault on the Bill, and pointed out the parts of the measure that he intended to attack in committee. He was very indignant that whilst it was proposed to give almost manhood suffrage to the inhsibitants of the colony, still it was not placed within the power of the electors, to shut up the public houses if they were so inclined. Does Mr Fox for one moment suppose, that if it was distinctly shown by the voice of a large majority of the ■ electors, that they considered public-houses were undesirable in a city or district, that this state of public feeling would not virtually compel the Magistrates forming the Licensing Bench to close, if not all, certainly the greater portion of the licensed houses in that city or district. Mr Fox quoted the case of the State of Maine in support of his argument, but whatever may be the fact now, it used to be as easy to get liquor in that State, as in any other of the Union, some few years ago, though the drinking was necessarily done on the sly, and not in public. With regard to the question of allowing intoxicating drinks to be sold at ihe refreshment rooms on the various lines of railway, we are of opinion that in this province there is not the slightest reason for such a privilege being granted, as the railway journeys, that we can take at present are not long enough to render it a question of necessity that passengers should bo able to obtain alcoholic refreshment. The fact of a few people being so addicted to drink as to bring bottles of liquor into a train, is_ hardly worth speaking of, as these individuals would probably bring the liquor evon if there was a license at the refreshment room of the station, and they could almost always be removed by the officials connected with the railway, if they have managed to exceed in any way. We do not suppose the house will support Mr Fox in his propositi< n to allow women to vote on the liquor question, and how in the world is the hoa member going to find out it

a barmaid is 29 or 81 years of age? It is, as we all know, a difficult matter at any time to be certain of a woman’s age, as there is always more or less of mystery about this delicate question, and we confess that in an encounter between the officials appointed to find out this important fact, and the barmaids concerned, we should be inclined to back woman’s wit to defeat the no doubt laudable —intentions of the hon member for Eangitikei. It may, however, be possible to render the lives of the barmaids easier, if some regulations as to their hours of work are introduced into the new Bill, though, as a rule,_ they are quite able to take care of themselves. Mr Fox also seems to have a holy horror of billiard-rooms and skittle-alleys attached to hotels, and he wishes to try and get rid of them if possible, in fact there are to be “ no more cakes and ale ” if the hon member can help it. He, however, will not Hud a following large enough to enable him to carry out his projects for the prevention of the liquor traffic, and the country will want a good many years more of “ education in temperance principles” before it will go to the lengths which he thinks desirable.

Mr Vogel made a capital speech in reply, and in the opening sentences he regretted that “ the debate had been conducted to such an extent outside the Act.” He, however, did not shirk the points raised by Mr Fox, and on every one of them he had the concurrence of a large majority of the members present. In conclusion, \ye recommend to all who are interested in the question of legislation on the liquor traffic to read an article which appears in the “ Pall Mall Budget,” under the head of “ Legislation for Drunkenness,” and which we hope to have space to present to our readers this week.

With regard to the telegrams we published a few days ago, as to the immigrants at Geraldine being housed in the public pound, we have been informed from the Immigration Department, that the building in which the immigrants are at present lodged was fitted up under the supervision of his Honor the Superintendent. And with regard to the death which has taken place, that the child in question had been forwarded from the Ashburton some time previously, and died- from natural causes. The fact of the last batch of immigrants having left the depot at the Ashburton far too late in the day to reach any proper place of shelter for the night is now occupying the attention of the department.