LICENSING BILL.

Hokitika Guardian, 27 July 1926, Page 4

LICENSING BILL.

SIX-YEAP, POLL INTERVAL PROBABLE. WELLINGTON, July 25. The Government intends to introduce a 1 Licensing Amendment Bill at an early date, probably during the- coining week, thus promptly carrying out its promise that the present Parliament will have an opportunity of dealing on non-party lines, with this contentious question. It is understood that before the Hon. W. Downie Stewart handed over the Attorney-General’s portfolio to the lion F. J. Rolleston a few months ago, lie had made good progress with tho draft Bill. A -.suggestion was made by the Prime .Minister that the principal parties interested in licensing legislation might confer with the object of ascertaining if there were any points on which they could come to an agreement. However, this conference has not eventuated. The parties are not inclined to suggest any compromise, but will leave Hie contentious points to be .adjudicated upon by a- Select Committee of the House of Representatives, to which it is expected the measure will be promptly referred. As for the of the Licensing Bill, it is believed that it will propose a change front flic present system oi triennial licensing polls.' The Select Committee which reported to Parliament in 1924 ion licensing legislation I suggested a nine year interval, but the Government intends to suggest to the | House that the poll be taken every ! six years, on alternate general election dates.

I Another leading point in the contr.o- , versy is that of the three-issue ballot paper. No-license advocates .strongly oppose the inclusion of State control 1 a.s an issue, and they would probably .agree to the six year interval between i polls if the ballot paper was reduced i to the simple issues: ! Continuance. No-license. Though the coming Bill is not expected exactly t:> follow the lines oi i the report of the Select Committee on j licensing legislation, it will include ! many ol the important suggestions j made to parliament in October, 1924. j On that occasion the Committee sug- | gested that license fees be subst-.ui-I Hally increased and that hotel licenses | be divided into three classes, according i to the valuation of the property, in- | eluding the estimated value of the liI cense privilege. Local authorities, it I was recommended, should continue to receive the amount of the present liI cense fees, but the increases should -be | paid into the Consolidated revenue.

Several recommendations were made with the object of preventing trafficking in licenses and speculation in goodwill. A license should not be transferred ...with in three years, stated the report, unless the Licensing Committee is satisfied that- there are exceptional reasons for this course. To further guard against speculation, the Committee recommended that all hotel leases should be subject to review by the chairman of the Licensing Committee, and that there sliould be a statutory prohibition of any charge 0 r consider:!- <• i’ll -is*xioil tor goodwill. The Committee came to the conclusion that no more licenses are required in New Zealand. They recommended that there should' he an inspection of hotels by .specially appointed officers.