Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, SEPT. 13, 1894. Whose Turn Next ?

Manawatu Herald, 13 September 1894, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. THURSDAY, SEPT. 13, 1894. Whose Turn Next ?

It is to be hoped that some action will be taken when the House is considering the new Licensing Bill to provide some means of eff ctually checking the attempt to transfer the licenses granted for one particular site to other sites far removed. The attempt made at the last meeting of the Otaki Licensing Committee to move a license from Manakau to Levin, a distance of some nine or ten miles is a case in point. The fact that the attempt so nearly succeeded should wake every person up to the danger, as should the proposals be permitted both the licensees of hotels and the public are likely to suffer. At present the licensees believed their holdings safe for the three years and dealings have taken place upon that supposition, but the value of any hotel would be startlingly depreciated if the precedent attempted, had succeeded, as then, from quarterly meeting to quarterly meeting, it would be impossible to tell whether many other competitors might not be brought right alongside of them. This is, perhaps, more of a trade view, and generally the trade is quite able to take care of itself, still it would be wise for them to

carefully consider the question. What a__ W6 toloi-a. concerned about is the fact. thkb th§ people ate td be ignored*, if hotel-brokers awl dthel*cari orily get, their wri._n TH«i Vote giveA fli tne last Licensing poll was upon the supposition . that licenses would remain exactly in the position they were when the poll Was taken, and districts voted upon the questions submitted to them on this idea. Thus, where no publichouse existed, no very gteat interest was excited under the belief that i-ofto could possibly*, for three years, get, there, and thdse districts .that had one, two*, three,, foiir or five hotels content to i_t that number b». The vote never was given under the impression that where three licenses existed two more could be placed, or were none existed one might be plac'd. and therefore the propq.-iais made to the tiiderisihg Crtrtlmittee were fraught with extreme dapper to the comfort of the whole district. To localise the natter \Ve iriighfc point oiU thfU iWder the clans*-*' of tlie Act depended upon by the applicant in making his application for a transfer from Manakau to Levin, he would have been justified in asking for a transfer of his litieilse to CainpltelltoWrt, Oi- ariy other spot at presettt free of a licerised house, tt is evident that such tactics on the part of the trade iVijl ai.ouP'. A Very strong on the part of those who hold earnest convictions against granting permission to sell alcoholic liquors, and that at the next poll they will so bestir themselves as to endeavour to carry the poll in accordance with their vi<_\*?s to save any chance ttpgiedt of thei t's Causing th<- creation oi what they consider a nuisance in their midst. The applicant has done some little good in thus calling attention ttt A possibility littlfe tl.e&tni; of, at the same time we believe the trade will suffer by such action arousing the indignation of those who would otherwise have been willing to let each district more particularly manage their own licensing affairs.