The Licensing Law.

Manawatu Herald, 27 July 1899, Page 2

The Licensing Law.

From the answer given by the Premier it would appear that he is becoming a convert to the Gothenburg system of licensing.

On Tuesday evening Mr Crowther (Auckland City) asked the Premier if, in his opinion, the time had not arrived when discretionary power should be given to Stipendiary Magistrates as to whether they shouid or should not endorse a license, considering the varying offences that come before them for adjudication.

The Premier said that everyone must admit that the laws regulating the sale of alcoholic liquors were in an unsatisfactory condition. Publicans were harrassed, the police, from the Commissioner downwards, were harassed, members of Parliament were harassed, and Ministers of the Crown also suffered under similar disabilities. There could be no doubt that those connected with the trade, owing to the position of the law as regarded indorsements, only held their tenure in some cases from month to month. Such conditions were unfortunate, and were certainly neither in the interests of the temperance movement nor of the public. He was of opinion that discretionary power ought to be given to the Magistrates, and that before they would have hotels properly conducted they must remedy the existing defects in the law. It would, he thought, be better if they had State control wherever liquor was sold.