The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 1881.

Kumara Times, Issue 1516, 6 August 1881, Page 2

The Kumara Times. Published Every Evening. SATURDAY, AUGUST 6, 1881.

In a recent issue of this journal, we drew attention to some of the provisions of the Licensing Bill affecting the illicit sale of liquor, and we now propose to refer to some of the conditions which will apply to the holders of publicans’ licenses, if the bill becomes law. The annual fee for a publican’s license within the limits of any borough will be £4O, and outside the aforesaid limits £25, and the premises may be kept open from ten o’clock at night, until six o’clock in the morning. An extension of time until midnight may, however, be had, upon payment of an additional fee. Holders of licenses must thoroughly cleanse and disinfect all the rooms, passages, stairs, floors, windows, doors, walls, ceilings, closets and drains of the licensed premises, as often as shall be required by or in accordance with any direction of an Inspector. No female, other th in the licensee, or the wife or daughter of the licensee, shall be employed in the bar, with or without her consent, after the hour of eleven o’clock p.m. If any licensed person shall permit any room or portion of his licensed premises, or the apprentices thereof, to be used or occupied as a dancing, concert, or theatrical saloon, or as a place of common resort, to which persons shall be admitted by ticket or otherwise, he shall be liable to forfeit bis license; but private societies, or assemblies of per-

sons may hire the room, and have the exclusive control over it. Any licensed publican failing, or refusing, either personally or through any one acting on his behalf, except for some valid reason, to supply lodging, meals, or accommodation to travellers, shall for each offence be liable, on conviction, to forfeit and pay any sum not exceeding £lO. No post-office or other public office shall be established, or any sitting of any established Court held in or at any licensed premises except by special permission of the licensing committee. No local rates of any sort shall be paid thereat. No licensed person shall recover any debt or demand on account of any liquor supplied by him to any person for consumption on the premises; but such person may sue for and recover the value of any liquor supplied with meals to any person lodging bona fide in the house. If any person holding a publican’s license receives in payment, or as a pledge for any liquor or entertainment, anything except current money, cheques on bankers, or orders for payment in money, he will be liable to a penalty of £2O, and the pledge will be null and void. No licensed publican shall receive payment in advance for any liquor to be supplied, and any payment so made may be recovered, notwithstanding that the liquor may have been supplied subsequent to such payment. Any licensed person absenting himself from his licensed premises for a longer period than fourteen days, without the permission of the licensing committee, will be liable to forfeit his license. If any licensed person knowingly harbours, or knowingly suffers to remain on his premises, any constable during any part of the time appointed for such constable being on duty, unless for the purpose of keeping and restoring order, or in the execution of his duty, or supplies any liquor or refreshment, whether by way of gift or sale, to any constable on duty, unless by authority of some superior officer of such constable, or attempts to biibe such constable, he will be liable to a penalty of £lO for the first offence, and £2O for the second or any subsequent offence. If any licensed person suffers gaming or any unlawful game to be played on his premises, he will be liable to similar penalties to those last-named. Publicans may refuse to admit, aud may turn out of their licensed premises, any person who is drunk, or violent, quarrelsome, or disorderly, whether drunk or not, and any person whose presence on the premises would subject him to a penalty, and may refuse to serve any such persons with liquor, if demanded only as a pretext for remaining on the premises. Any person who upon being requested by such licensed person, or his agent or servant, or any constable, to quit such pi’etnises, refuses or fails to do so, will be liable to a penalty of five pounds j and all constables are required on the demand of such licensed person, agent, or servant, to expel, or assist in expelling every such person from such premises, and may use such force as may be required for the purpose. Any licensed person who allows any intoxicating liqnor to be sold to children apparently under sixteen years of age, shall, as well as the person who supplies the liquor, be subject to a penalty of £lO for each offence. There is also a very stringent provision for prohibiting, the sale of liqnor to drunkards. The Bill is a very lengthy one, containing no less than two hundred and twenty-aix clauses, so that a complete precis of it cannot be made within the limits of a single article ; but sufficient has been shown to prove that tiie measure will effect a very considerable revolution in the licensing laws of New Zealand.