Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 1893. No more new Licenses.

Manawatu Herald, 29 August 1893, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 1893. No more new Licenses.

The Government Bill has passed through committee, and therefore stands a very good show of becoming the law. We very much regret it, as there seems very little advantage gained to counterbalance many inconveniences. We hold that Sir Robert Stout has put the matter very clearly when he stated that the Bill was a concession to the public house interest. We gather that the public-bouses now in existenoe will be freed from further competition for three years, or until the next census has been taken, except in those occasional cases where the population has suddenly increased in a large degree. Of course the licensed nouses have to stand the trial of the poll, but as no alteration has been made in the number of those who are on the roll, who must poll, which is fixed at one-half, the poll will likely be declared void. The case will be too hopeless for the most sanguine Prohibitionist to expect success, and thus the inducement to make a trial will be wanting. There is just one chance, and one chance only, for the Prohibitionist, but we put but little trust in it, and that is they might be able to make another combination with the pub licans to reduce the number of licensed houses, similar to the attempt we witnessed at the last

local licensing meeting to keep new licenses from being granted. Such Combinations are more than comical ; they display a desire to secure an object without consideration of the means, which creates anything but a feeling of pride in one's neighbours. The licensed victuallers will however be better posted up than to be caught by such chaff, in a large field-, and it will be as difficult! to get one to approach a polling booth as it is said to be to get a camel through the eye of a needle. They will know too well that what they might gain one way might tell against them on the Direct Veto Vote.

All the public have got therefore is the fact that they have to obey the martial order of "as you were" in the numbers of licensed houses. They have to pay for an absurd and expensive poll which will signify nothing but expenses, and to which no further appeal can be made for three years. They have gained only one advantaga in securing a committee of nine members, chosen from a wider area, as against five from a very narrow area. The Bill will be most unsatisfactory to all concerned, as though temporarily the advantage remains with the trade, there have been too many concessions to the Prohibitionists, that only require but slightly amending to become utterly ruinous to the licensed victuallers, and they may feel sure the Prohibitionists will work and work to gain their points. In our mind the trade would have been better off if the Bill had not been passed, and that no legislation had been undertaken in such a hurried manner. Principles have been admitted which will be hard to eradicate.