Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, DEC. 9, 1902. The Licensing Poll.

Manawatu Herald, 9 December 1902, Page 2

Manawatu Herald. TUESDAY, DEC. 9, 1902. The Licensing Poll.

It is astonishing how much good advice is being given to those interested in the Liquor Trade, now that the people have arisen in their might and made their opinions very well known. Here and there, previously, the Trade has been warned that the means they have adopted to extend their business was strongly objected to by the public, but success in securing their ends have made many of them utterly careless, and it will be yet to be noticed whether the voices of those speaking at the Licensing Poll will have any effect. On this coast we have had instances of the high banded proceedings of the Trade, in the forcing of a second public house at Levin, in spite of strong protests, and in conjunction with it the removal of a license from Manakau. We have heard of the Chief Justice’s decision that the letting of hotels with penal clauses about dealing with the brewers is legally correct, chough he expressed his opinion of the transaction. This process being good in law has enabled the brewers to laugh at the Licensing Act forbidding “ tied ” houses, and the wish of parliament was treated with contempt. Parliament having proved useless the people got aroused and many unfortunate licenses will be the sufferers. We have been unable to run with those who want to close public houses altogether, for many reasons, but the high.handed proceedings of the Liquor party is daily forcing people to vote in a direction they do not want to, if only to enforce upon the Liquor Trade the fact that the people will either have the Acts of parliament paid proper heed to, or else the Liquor party must be improved off the face of the earth. Just here we might give a local caution. At times there have been covetous eyes cast upon Eongotea as a fine site for a hotel; wo would advise any such idea being given up, or at the next Licensing Poll “ No Licenses ” will be carried. The last poll makes it very evident that the “ no license ” party is very strong, and the next election will show that “ reduction ” if not “ no license ” will he carried in this electorate. As the representative of this district we have a gentleman who is a total abstainer and fully in accord with all prohibitionists, and these being his strong supporters, it is clear that it is to his interest, besides being in accordance, with his opinions, to do all he can to strengthen theirnumbers in everyway he can, so that in three years time the poll is likely to be more in favour of total prohibition than it was the other day. We, in common with almost the majority of fair thinkers object to the present mode of extinguishing licenses, as much hardship and suffering will be caused to the holders of properties closed by prohibition, as it is now, without compensation. This can be said also for reduction, as that means fewer would lose their living, but those who did would suffer. What we all want is an improvement of the Licensing trade, and to secure that the attempt was made to prevent brewers tying up their property. The general opinion, appears to us to be, not the desire to do away with all public houses, but to secure good ones, and to reduce the number of them, so that well conducted ones could flourish, keep their house first-class, and not to have to suffer competition with mere drink shops. At present we know

the number cannot bo increased, but to the general view there are too many now which, in some districts must be reduced. The question naturally arises, how could this be done so as to act fairly with the owner and the public, without causing extra taxation upon the land. Some time ago we had a valuable suggestion made to us, to which we drew attention at the time, that a plan might be adopted by which the hotels in a district might be valued, and say that there were thirty properties and it was decided to reduce by one third, or any other proportion agreed upon, each hotelkeeper should be called upon to state Whether he would stay on or would take the price of his property. All those who remained, that is the twenty out of the tbiity, would be called upon to find the cost of buying out the ten, and this cost would be distributed pro rata as to value, and added to the value of the properties of the remaining houses so that if another reduction was decided upon in future, the last holders of licenses would be carrying the Whole cost, and reaping the increased value. This is hut a suggestion as to how a compensation scheme could be arranged for individual owners.

In England reduction of licenses is being made, but the houses generally are owned, by brewers and they have had sense to move in the matter themselves, but it will bo noticed that to arrange values something of the above plan has been adopted ; “ R ugbly speaking,” says a recent Writer “ there are 2000 licenses in Birmingham, or about one to .every 230 inhabitants. With the exception of some of the smaller beer houses, it may be said that all licenses are lii the hands of ten or twelve large brewers. These gentlemen have been public-spirited enough to recognise and endorse the soundness of the magistrates' policy of reduction. They have been wise enough in their own interests to see that a monopoly can be administered in a few large houses With greater economy than in many small ones, and that although less liquor may be sold, diminished sales may be compensated by an appreciation in the value of securities due to that increased popular favor which attaches to the cleaner trade in preference to the less reputable, and to interests which are at one with the forces of law and order instead of at variance with them.” The plan adopted by the Birmingham brewers is worthy of notice. A valuer is chosen to act for them. He values each house in the district in which reduction is to be effected. From his report the joint committee of brewers is able to decide which licenses to surrender. The valuer then estimates the extent to which each house that is left will benefit by the removal of the adjacent competing houses. The two valuations, that of the surrendered houses and that of the betterment accruing to those that remain, supply the data from which a satisfactory adjustment of mutual compensation among the brewers can be made. Should this apparently wise and statesmanlike experiment prove to work satisfactorily, there is every possibility that it may be repeated in other parts of the Empire. No measure could so well convince the public of the desire of the trade, of which we hear so much, to assist in any genuine measure of reform.