Licensed Victuallers’ Proposals.

Manawatu Herald, 23 July 1904, Page 2

Licensed Victuallers’ Proposals.

MR SEDDON’S REPLY. A deputation of members of the Licensed, ■, Victuallers’ Association waited on , the Premier on Thursday dereference ; to ‘lioensjbg >msttera. Delegates from all parts of tht : colony attended. . t I The proposals put before the Premier were as follows :-—A colonial poll to Se,taker* .every nine years, to be decided by a majority of threefifths of the electors on the roll ,; the payment of compensation; the elimination of the reduction vote ; and failing national option, increasing the length of time between the local option polls ; making eleven o’clock the statutory hour of closing ; bringing clubs and refreshment rooms under the Licensing Act; this for tne present Elective Committees; and.making it penal for persons to have' alcohol in their possession in prohibition districts. The’ Premier in reply, said-there was no authority for the alleged forecast of ; the- Licensing Bill, published throughout the colony. The intentions of the Government could be gauged from the Bill introduced

last session. The law be altered,, so that the people would - not be dereated through the voiding of polls on mere technicalities. The same, provision, should be made for dealing with the local option poll as was done in the case of a disputed Parliamentary election. By the working of the law „ in regard to reduction an had resulted. The bill introduced last session provided to correct this lack of discretionary power being given to Magistrates. In dealing with endorsements, it had led to a great amount of perjury. He was convinced of the necessity of giving discretionary powers in this direction. In reference to Clause 9, the “ no license no liquor ” provision of last year’s Bill, Mr Seddon said it had been called a joke, but he was never more serious tbarf yvhen he submitted it to Parliament. He believed, if the question was put to every elector when voting license or no license, whether the liquor was to comeinto his district an interesting decision would be given. Where no license was carried m any district, no club charter\should be allowed to continue. In Regard to compensation, he did not think Parliament would for a moment entertain the question of making such payments. His view regarding Committees was that the magisterial bench or a judicial bench was much better than ones composed of avowed partisans, Oru the subject of national and local! option polls “his views remained a»altered. He held that if the Legislative Council had passed the last Bill sent up from the House, most of the trouble of the past few years would have been Avoided. Thera should be a drastic law that" would punish barmaids and all who served drink to children and persons the worse for- liquor. There: would be provision in the Bill to meet such cases. He hoped the measure would be acceptable to all parties ia the House, and for the good of the people.