The Grey River Argus FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1948. LICENSING BILL

Grey River Argus, 12 November 1948, Page 4

The Grey River Argus FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 1948. LICENSING BILL

much as almost any other, this country for a normal life time has been tinkering with the so-called liquor question. Our stock referendum issue, and regarded from such varied standpoints —moral, social, legal and commercial —it had long ago been channelled into a fixed licensed avenue, yet without finality in the scope of an expanding trade. Some would still like to see the end of even the use of liquor, despite the evils to which a temporary prohibition notoriously gave rise elsewhere. Others reckon that, frebd from exploitation by vested interests, including that of the State coffers, the question would have a temperate solution. The essential consideration is, however, not liquor itself so much as the user and his welfare. That idea appears to inspire the new measure which the Government has brought down, although the State’s financial interest in particular would doubtless be conserved by the Commission. to which it is proposed to give very great powers indeed. Many areas, owing to a semiprohibitionist spirit in days gone by, arc to-day ill-provided with hotels, and the idea seems to be that other areas shall make a sacrifice of licenses for the sake of a more even distribution. This idea is a legacy of the period when its opponents counted upon wiping out the "trade”. But. the Commission will, at the same time, have meantime a score more licenses than the existing number to play with in a redistribution, while a new departure is a proviso that the total of licenses may be increased by five with each increase in population of fifty thousand. There are to-day about 1032 publicans’ licenses, and 192 accommodation licenses (which is a fixed number') and 145 wholesale licenses. Consequently, the ratio for new licenses means a proportion to population definitely smaller than the present one. One result must be to raise the premium on the value of licenses, so that when there are cither transfers or cancellations, that point ought to be taken fairly into account. There is a formula for compensation, but much must depend on its interpretation. It would be interesting to compare what may be the price for a new license with the compensation for a cancelled or transferred one. If the price is very high, rich vested interests will have the advantage. Cancellations in one place will, of course, facilitate the issue of licenses in another, and therefore another interesting conjecture is as to what criterion the Commission may take in judging any license as unnecessary.

It is a welcome feature that Hie Bill proposes new types of licenses, such as for tourist resorts (one such in South Westland having long lacked this

amenity), and for workers’ canteens. Lt may be presumed that there will be more scope for chib charters. Well-to-do people are not in need of such to the extent that other people may be. Another interesting and no doubt justifiable proviso, is that for extended time permits for social gatherings in club or licensed premises, the effect of which might be to increase the vote at the coming referendum as against evening hours of regular trading. The Government is evidently determined to make licenses conditional on the provision, of accommodation in relatively a greater measure than at present. This also must tell in favour of tho more wealthy interests, but will doubtless be endorsed by travellers and others. 'Various stipulations as to hot water services and sanitation are certainly timelyThe typical hotel bar is an environment where precautions are essential. If the trust type of hotel should eventually serve to modify drinking so that customers may be seated, rather than congregated, it should prove a reform in the interesls alike o' health and sobriety. The nolicense areas are an anomaly in the sense that drinking tends in cases to be clandestine, and a trust system might go to regularise a situation where the majority is averse to the normal habit. It cannot be said that this Bill augurs any great increase of drinking facilities, but at the same time the basic object of the readjustment is to make such facilities available for a greater number than at present enjoy them. The trend of the day seems to be somewhat in that direction, coupled, however, with the idea of precautions against excess. The custom of the people will largely continue to govern drinking, and as such weaker liquor has come to be accepted as the rule, it may be said that sobriety is increasing. Some people refuse, however, to recognise, the fact that shortening of trading hours is not a means of reducing the use of liquor. It merely speeds up the intake, with definitely adverse re-

suits. Indeed, commercialisation itself lias often a speeding-up effect, so that in the degree that charters and permits enable that factor to be modified they should modify excess and its consequences. The Government has been guided largely by the Royal Commission, and it must be given credit for the intention to put hotels and the use of liquor on better bases and to improve the quality ■of their service for the community.