The GLOBE. THURSDAY, JUNE 29, 1882. THE LICENSING ACT AMENDMENT BILL.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 256, 29 June 1882, Page 2

The GLOBE. THURSDAY, JUNE 29, 1882. THE LICENSING ACT AMENDMENT BILL.

Me. Dick’s Bill, amending the Licensing Act, which was discussed in the House on Tuesday, shows that the Government, at all events, do not intend to attempt to alter in any way the principles of the measure now in force. The Bill merely provides for the smoother working of the Act, and alters some of the clauses which are contradictory. It allows the Governor to alter and abolish districts, and it empowers the local body having jurisdiction within any licensing district to appoint the Returning Officer instead of that official being the Resident Magistrate having jurisdiction within tho district or a person appointed by the Governor, as is at present the case. All costs and expenses incident to the election of any Licensing Committee, as well as the costs connected with taking the poll of ratepayers, are to be paid by the local bodies, irrespective of whether there are any fees accruing from licenses or not. Supposing there to be no publichouse in a district, tho present arrangement is totally unworkable, because pnder it the costs alluded to above have to ha paid out of fees, which in the case suggested would not exist. The places at which licensing meetings are to be held need not necessarily he within the limits of tho district to which such meetings relate, if such meetings can he more conveniently held elsewhere. Then there are certain alterations with regard to the regulations for Native licensing districts, and the vexed question as to whether publicans applying for a renewal shall advertise or not is sot at rest by a clause laying it down that in such cases he need not do so, but need only comply with the provisions of the 56th clause of the present Act, as to the delivery to the Clerk of the Licensing Committee, and tho affixing to tho principal door of his own premises a notice in writing setting forth various particulars and the applicant’s desire of applying for a renewal. There are also now regulations respecting the granting of licenses within mining districts. It will thus he seen that the principle of the present Act is not in any way touched, and even the matter of allowing Committees to grant an extension to an intermediate hour between ten o’clock and midnight is not alluded to, showing, as we have argued all along, that tho present Act contemplates a curtailment of the hours during which liqour can be sold, and that the midnight license should only bo granted in very special instances. The Christchurch Committees have granted extensions in a somewhat wholesale manner, and the Sydenham Committee has been forced into giving tho old-established houses a similar privilege by the action of tho Christchurch Committees. The spirit of the Act has no doubt been violated in these instances, and that tho Government think so is proved by tho fact that no intention is exhibited of allowing Committees to distribute eleven o’clock extensions to every applicant, as would no doubt bo done were the possibility presented.

Tho debato on tba second reading of Mr. Dick’s Bill shows how restive people are liable to become if a new measure does not in every respect work out as smoothly as an old one. More particularly is this restiveness shown with regard to tho election of Licensing Committees. There is evidently a feeling among some members that a return to the old system of nominated Benches is desirable. Mr. Pish went so far as to say that tho public do not want to bo bored by electing Committees. That is to say, that the management of their own affairs is a trouble to them, and that their laziness should bo winked at and condemned. It seems to us, however, that it cannot bo expected that the public should grasp their responsibilities at once. It would bo very injudicious, wo consider, wore it concluded, because the first elections hold under tho present Act have not evoked much interest, that therefore tho scheme is a failure. Tho public had not at tho time of the elections realised tho full scope of tho powers entrusted to Committees. When tho matter next comes before tho districts wo fancy that tho case will bo very different. Moreover, candidates for places on Committees will then have had time and opportunity to make up their minds as to tho platform they may elect to take up. Tho whole affair was in the clouds at tho time of tho last elections.

Take, for instance, the question of the proper time of closing and all the possibilities connected therewith. The candidates themselves were not very clear as to th» many sided views that might be taken np. Bach candidate will next time have clearly defined ideas on the subject, and the electors will have the various platforms enunciated in well-cut lines. The interest that will naturally then be taken will altogether exceed that displayed when the public hardly know what the opinions of the gentlemen seeking election really were. It seems to ns that a full trial of the present Act is in every way desirable.

As Mr. Conolly said, there is nothing in the present Act to prevent a hotelkeeper carrying on his trade respectably. As to the trade of licensed victualling suffering from over-legislation, it must be remembered, if on the one hand extra precautions are taken with regard to their calling, that on tho other Land their privileges are special, and that, in point of fact, they enjoy a monopoly. The Act does not treat publicans (as Mr. Bracken falsely averred) as criminals, hut as individuals who, for the sake of possessing certain great and substantial privileges, declare their readiness to submit to certain strict rules. It is very clear that the eagarness to possess licenses has not in any way been diminished by the operation of the present Act, and this is tho clearest possible indication that the trade is not unduly handicapped, and that such statements as those contained in Mr. Bracken’s speech are mere twaddle. But Mr. Lovestam’s arguments were even more fallacious. He seemed to think that, if all restrictions were abolished, and the trado made free, all would go well. “ Tho attraction of the dram shop,” he said, “ was the comfort and good company. Do away with that attraction and they would lessen the influences of tho publichonses.” It seems to have escaped him that opening the trade would not necessarily imply that drinking would go on in comfortless places. It is not such a difficult matter to provide a comfortable room where the consumption of liquor may take place. If tho Act is to be attacked by such very feeble stuff it does not stand in much danger. As a whole the debate certainly proved that no strong case had been made out against present arrangements. The most solid arguments were decidedly on the side of tho upholders of the status quo.